Secret Agent Man
by gooddame
Summary: Humanverse, again not my characters just my story. Caroline is an agent transferred into Klaus' unit for a short time, they're working undercover before things get hazy between them and their case. Not sure it I'll continue but reviews always welcome! :)
1. Chapter 1

He slid his hands up her sides as she gasped for air underneath the sheets pulling him closer to her with her hands. She was on her back trying to bringing his head closer to hers. They had been doing this for close to two hours and her muscles were whining in protest, she just wanted to get outta this bed go home and shower but he had insisted on it. She went through it in her mind after leaving the elevator they kissed their way to the room under a fake name just in case anyone saw them. They hit their door and he pushed her against it trying to find the key before she pulled it out from her back pocket opening the door. He took off her coat as she went to his belt. Quickly removing their shoes they backed up into the arm chair falling onto it before he removed he pants carrying her toward the bed laying her on top and removing his own shirt he crawled up to her waiting body as she pulled him into an embrace and pulling her shirt over before he pulled the sheets over them.

She whispers into his ear, "You think they've had their fill yet?" he groans in responds his arms already threatening to give out on him. He laughs as he moves up to look her in the eye mouthing. "I don't know." He's still moving on top of her so she takes pity on him and rolls them over so she's on top giving him a break. She mouths back, "You're welcome." As his hands find their place on her hips they hear Agent Kol Collins in their earpieces say, "Okay guys we hacked their feed. Thanks for keeping them distracted long enough but you didn't have to make a porno." Klaus looks like he wants to laugh as Caroline rolls her eyes coming down so they're face to face. She mouths, "I'm going to kill you." He makes like he's completed saying "Thank fuck," loud enough as she kissing him once more laughing at his face. "Good finish," she hears agent Carter say as she rolls off Klaus and the bed in search of her discarded jeans and bra.

"Room service" they hear coming from behind their door as Caroline reaches for a robe and Klaus puts his jeans on over his boxers. He gets the door letting agent O'Connor come in dressed as a waiter delivering their dinner, he passes the heat seeking camera that has been watching them since they got in the room. Passing a bug tracer over the flower arrangement it's in he nods at Klaus to say something about it. Klaus says, "Could you please take these flowers from the room, my wife is allergic." "Girlfriend" Caroline counters from behind him by the bed. "We'll see." Klaus whispers into the bug before agent O'Connor takes it with him leaving them with the food cart. "We can talk freely now love but the camera has to stay to convince them. He pulls the two way radio piece out of his back pocket placing it back on his tooth before speaking once more.

"You get all that?" the three agents stuck outside in the van agree with a resounding "Yes." Klaus smirks picking up Caroline's bra from the floor tossing it to her, "Thanks" is all she says. Sliding it on under the shirt she's had on the whole time. He grabs a berry from the fruit bowl walking towards her as he chews, "that was a good move, they would've noticed you still had it on with the camera." She nods finishing up but not being quite able to connect the two together he walks behind her sliding his hands up her white shirt for assistance. "Here let me." he says before he does and walks back toward the bed putting on his shirt and shoes.

She finds her other shoe by the car putting it on and grabbing her jacket she walks to the door waiting for him to follow her. She hears his footsteps following behind her as she opens the door to let themselves out. He says, "Good work Caroline." She scoffs wishing he would stop calling her by her name. "Look Sir, I know your head of this ship and I respect that but please call me agent Forbes like I've asked you so many times before." She hates when he calls her that, it's way too personal and being the only girl on the team she feels the need to assert herself. She was the only girl available to them being a rookie she had no choice but to accept, she wanted to be out on the field. However she wasn't sure how he got the director to let her on not being off the farm long or even finishing her gun training.

She did owe him but not enough to sleep with him, not that he was bad looking just that it had to stay professional no matter how many times he asked her out or saved her a seat or the last slice of pizza during a steak out. He outranked but she wasn't about to let that intimidate her. He wanted her but he had made it clear before he wasn't going to force her, she would come to him on her own. She remembers thinking what kind of person says that outloud let alone thinks it.

Now he had her pretending to be his wife, no his girlfriend on this job, she sighed as they reached the service elevator opting to use that one to head to the surveillance van to as not to be seen. "Hey boys!" she says as she climbs in hunching her shoulders, "Whatcha got?" they guys look at her as Klaus climbs into the already crowed van filled with equipment. The phone rings before either of them can answer her and agent Collins answers, "Yes sir, yes they're here. …no sir, it was retrieved and destroyed. Yes sir. Okay bye sir." He hung up afterward looking at Klaus and Caroline saying, "He was pissed he thought this was real but I told him it was just until we located the bug." Klaus nudges Carter out of his chair so Caroline can sit down she thanks him quietly shooting him an apologetic glance.

Klaus asks the boys to get out of the van and wait outside while he and Caroline watched the tape to see what the fuss was all about. After they figure out he wasn't joking they all shuffle out leaving them alone in the van, he scoots passed her sitting in O'Connor's chair grabbing the remote rewinding then pressing play on their hotel room scene. As they watch and share the headphones for audio feed they can clearly see what the fuss is over. It was pretty intense. Klaus had to grab a bottle of water from the cooler at their feet before handing the headphones back to Caroline and pressing forward toward the end.

Once it was over they needed a minute to process it before Caroline called the boys back opening the door and avoiding Klaus' direct eyesight. She say, "Okay I can see how that could've been misconstrued but the important thing is we know that nothing happened." From behind her she hears Klaus say, "Not nothing," she turns to him eyes wide as he shrugs, "What? I meant that I beat my personal best at push-ups in there!" as the guys all snicker and she swats the back of his head before storming out of the van. Or at least as dramatic as you can get trying to get passed three others in the space of a clown car. He follows her out saying good night to the guys she's halfway out the parking lot before he reaches her.

"It was a joke love, I'm over it." She turns to him and says, "Ah well I'm not," before finding her way to the sidewalk hoping to catch a cab. It's so cold out tonight she thinks running her hands up and down her arms as she makes her way down the sidewalk hoping he'll turn around and leave her alone. "How can I acquit myself? Can I drive you home at least?" she stops thinking about how late it is and where the safe house she's staying in is across town. Why did I have to be transferred here? She asks herself as she turns around facing him. "Okay." She concedes walking back to his rental where they parked earlier waiting for him to unlock it and let her in. He comes around to open the door for her smiling as she steps in bucking her seat belt ignoring him.

He speeds off to the safe house where she's staying before she gets reassigned when he moves back to Wales after this case is over. He really thought he would have progressed with her further by now but she keeps thinking he just wants to scratch her off his long tour of America list as she so eloquently put it. She was the best one off the farm, and can highly recommended for jobs like this. He needed someone who could take heat, who could blend in with the crowd and someone who wasn't going to take and BS even from him. She wasn't what he expected at all, she was shy as she was hardcore emulating whatever she needed at the moment. She was and expert at improvisation in any situation and had saved him a time or two with her spitfire ways.

It was close to four in the morning as he pulled up to the driveway putting the car in park getting out of the driver's side to open her door. She made no attempt to beat him to it as he raced to the passenger side to open her door a new development he noticed. He opened the door waiting for her to rush passed him but instead she sat their looking like she was sick, her face contorted and confused even. He asked, "What's the matter love?" she looked up as if noticing him for the first time before shaking her head. She asked so quietly he wasn't sure he heard her right but she had said that if he wanted he could stay the night.

For obvious reasons, it was almost dawn and he still had to get across town just to sleep she was really just doing him a favor so he wouldn't have to sleep less time. It was practical to stay with her, she was rambling but he didn't care he just smiled at her saying "Okay." before she said "Okay." getting out to unlock the front door she suggested he park the rental in the garage so that no one would recognize it just in case. He got back in the car after walking her to the door and making sure she went inside then came back out pulling u the garage door driving in and parking it before pulling down the door and heading to the front of the duplex. He knocked before letting himself in removing his jacket and setting it on a chair by the dining table as he looked around. Caroline was nowhere to be found when he walked in so he stood there until she came out of her room on his left.

Caroline was nervous all the way here, she thought she was being reasonable by asking him to stay with her. But once she got inside her room she freaked out over the situation, wishing she could take the words back. She decided against the shower while he was here thinking it might be too weird to do so and instead put on her old boyfriends college sweatshirt and some grey harajuku lovers sweatpants she had. Reaching for the door knob she tuned and pulled it open seeing Klaus in her living room, it was surreal to say the least. He looked good there around all her stuff standing with his hands in his pocket thumbs sticking out staring intently at her. She waved as she made her way toward Klaus asking him to make himself comfortable. Her nerves were killing her so she went to the kitchen to make some tea, asking if he wanted any to which he agreed.

She measured out the water soon after into their mugs inserting the sleepy time tea she had left from her insomnia days. They had fallen into an awkward silence that seemed better than talking at the moment avoiding each other's eyeline whenever possible. She placed his tea in front of him on the table by the couch before saying, "That was good work today I would've taken the camera out too." He nods as he reaches for his teacup, "I made the mistake once of doing so and it blew my mission leaving my with a scar leading from here to here." As he says this he gestures to his right forearm up to his shoulder. She shivers at the thought of it. "That's pretty intense," is all she says. He shrugs saying, "We're all newbies once."

They finish their tea and she reaches over to grab his cup but he holds onto it tighter, she looks at him about to complain when he says, "You made the tea. I'll do the dishes." He takes her cup and stands walking over to the kitchen and turning on the sink testing the hot water. She stares at him dumbfounded that he's doing the dishes, she's never seen a man do dishes but she's also glad for it because Caroline doesn't do them if she doesn't have to. He finishes drying his hands off and putting the mugs in the drying rack by the sink. She gets up moving the coffee table over and removing the seat cushions as he finishes.

She tries pulling out the mattress from the couch grunting in frustration as it refuses to come out a third time before she hears Klaus chuckle behind her. "It's stuck sweetheart, let it go. I'll just sleep on the cushions." He walks toward the couch picking up the cushions and placing them back as she moves to sit on the armrest with the pout of a small child. "I'll sleep on the couch, you take the bed Klaus, you need your rest seeing as you're the leader." He shakes his head, "Can you at least let me be a gentleman about it? Take the bed it's yours. I sleep here." She gets up walking to her room coming back with a pillow and blanket for him before her eyes widen and her eyebrows rise she walks straight to him pulling at his hand.

She leads him to her room, sensing his hesitancy she tugs harder until he's forced to come in before she shuts the door and says, "You take that side and I'll take this one." Before he can respond she switched off the light and climbs into the left side curling up into a ball in the dark. She lies there pretending she's totally cool with her hot boss whom she spent most of the day on slip into her own personal bed out of convenience. Klaus sighs setting his alarm for seven before sliding off his shoes and belt moving the sheets to the side so he can sit down before sliding in next to her in the king size bed dozing off.

They were asleep more than four hours waking up around ten spooning one another, to make it worse thought Caroline with their clothes on. Klaus was enjoying be so close to her, he knew she would be pissed when she awoke but for now he was enjoying her as long as he could. They both lay there pretending to sleep willing the other awake to get the awkward over with. The next thing that happened could only be described as divine intervention, their work phones went off at the same time making them jump out of bed to reach for them the last few minutes forgotten.

Caroline's cover had been busted they found out as they reached the headquarters, she had to be transported to a safe house hours from here until they gained more information, Klaus naturally volunteered to go with her as her escort and keep her safe. She wanted to say no once more but he got even more stubborn so she kept silent as the director barked orders for her to leave everything and burn anything important. She had only brought her purse so she was free to leave even though the stuff at the safe house she was staying at would never be seen again. That was a bit more upsetting than her being ousted as an agent.

They were to be transported to their car thought the underground tunnels leading out of the building just in case. Strapping on hiss bullet proof vest he hurried over to Caroline to make sure she was strapped in correctly, she swatted his hands away as the director walked in to wish them a final good luck. They made their way out into the tunnels walking over twenty minutes before meeting Bernie, one of Caroline's first confidants when she started working her before she was transferred to Klaus' team. She hugged him as they greeted one another before Klaus curtly shook his hand before walking ahead to let them catch up. He opened Caroline's door letting her slide in before he got in on the other side of the bullet proof vehicle, he smirked as Caroline rolled her eyes caught him through the side mirror looking at her.

They were heading down the interstate they laughed as Bernie's punch line as Klaus turned back to watch the street behind him. Before he has the chance to warn Bernie the rocket launcher lands in their vehicle knocking Caroline into the windshield as smoke surrounded them. Klaus jumped out of the car reaching for Caroline's seat belt he tried shaking her in order to wake her. He looked behind him once more and he saw four men in suit pants and white collar shirts exit the car behind him holding guns. Klaus pulled out his emergency gun out of the ankle holster cursing under his breath and taking aim.

Caroline awoke to a ringing in her ear taking in her surroundings Bernie was beside her, she took his pulse gasping when she didn't feel one. Then she heard a gun go off next to her fearing the worst she looked to her right seeing Klaus doing combat with two men. One had tried to shoot him narrowly missing both her and him. She reached for her seat belt pulling it off running behind the car to help Klaus. "Stupid girl running in the wrong direction," she heard Klaus say as she pulled out her gun and shoot the last two men one in the chest and the other straight in the head saving Klaus from eminent death. She picks him up off the ground whispering in his ear, "I was running toward you, that's never the wrong direction." He grabs her hand and they run off into the woods beside the interstate jumping the barbed wire fence before pulling her over it.

They don't stop running even when they hear the sirens yards away from them, Caroline has no clue where they are going but she trusts that Klaus knows what is next. Meanwhile the only thing Klaus knows is that he has to keep her safe and keep moving no one can be trusted. They need to find a safe place to strategize. He doesn't know how she improvises so well, he can't even do it for two hours and his arm is killing him from the fence he cut himself pretty bad but doesn't want to acknowledge it just yet. They reach a clearing just as the sun disappears seeing a few deer scurrying past them. Caroline sees a light flickering on her right she turns to see the source it's a wildfire heading toward them. She grabs for Klaus' arm he turns in the direction her eyes are looking seeing the fire burning bright. She grabs her by the waist starting to run in the other direction, "They're trying to smoke us out!" he yells at her trying to keep them together knowing she must be exhausted by now.

Possibly continued, not sure yet. Let me know if it's worth it. Thanks!


	2. Chapter 2

Caroline held onto Klaus' hand as she pushed herself forward and the flames gained on them, it was darker now. If they weren't in so much danger it might be beautiful, she looks up towards the sky cursing the stars for looking so calm while this chaos surrounds them. Klaus tugs at her arm a little too hard and she realizes he's down for the moment. She gets down on her knees trying to shake him into an awake state but then she sees all the blood coming from his shoulder cursing herself for not noticing before. She yanks off her brown button up thankful she has another shirt under that one ripping it in half and knotting the ends to make the fabric long enough to be useful. She places the bigger side on his back trying to maneuver it under his body without having it hurting too much, he hisses as he awakes to her assistance on him. "I didn't really picture this would be how I got you on top of me willingly, sweetheart." He says in a low joking manner, Caroline swats his uninjured arm before shushing him and finishing her wrap job on him by tying a knot. "At least you still have your sense of humor." She says standing up and reaching for his other hand to pull him up, he expects her to let it go after he's up but she pulls it around her shoulder. She intends to take his weight and have them run together, he thinks she's crazy and that's the short version.

Caroline doesn't know how the both of them are still moving but she knows she has to get him somewhere safe soon, out here at this moment she's in charge and so far she's failing him. It hurts to know that she's the only one who can help him but she can't begin to know how in the surrounding flames. Klaus grunts as the pain that has now been acknowledged sears through him in waves but he must stay standing if only for a bit longer, "_It's a little scratch_," he tells himself pushing forward once more with her. He hates that he's failed her once more, he was supposed to keep her safe and now she has to step in for the both of them, he really admires her will at this moment. So much so that he doesn't realize what's happening until after it has happened considering his unstable eyesight and walking capabilities. The last thing he hears is Caroline asking him to stay awake and to stay with her, he hears her as she whispers this into his ear. He wants to he really does but the dark consumes him before he can try to figure it all out and he is lost once more. Caroline was so thankful for what happened in the last few moments "_Thanks to all this mud the burning grass won't be able to reach us,_" she thinks pulling Klaus along as she maps out the area once more in her head. She keeps asking him to stay awake and he seems to be listening if only while he's still alert. She thinks there must be something else wrong with him because while the gash on his back is still bleeding it was not supposed to cause this kind of body breakdown.

They reach their spot before he falls to the ground useless looking out she sees that the flames seemed to have simmered for the moment, not standing as tall as intimidating as before. Or maybe she was used to it by now feeling how her fear had since subsided while helping them get across the field. Then she noticed she was wet, like really wet soaked actually, "_When did that happen?_" she thinks looking up at the sky. It started pouring even harder as she did, "That's why the flames seemed smaller at this point." She sits with him in their safety zone of mud and rain where the flames can't get to them anymore. She pulls Klaus on top of her struggling with the weight of him for a moment shifting her body into a somewhat better position to hold onto him. His back falls against her chest as she wraps her arms around him rubbing up and down him to create friction from the cold water falling over them. She hears his shallow breathing knowing there's nothing more she can do for him at the present moment but hating it all the same. Her arms tire as the night goes on so she pulls them into a resting place holding his face in her hands looking down at him. Running her fingers through his stubble straight across his bottom lip she shudders, not knowing if it is because of how intimate this moment seemed or the drops falling at her back. She notices a scar just above his eyebrow tracing it with her thumb wondering how she never noticed it before now. "_He really does have the most beautiful face, but it's what's inside his heart that makes it harder to resist_." Caroline thinks brushing the back of her knuckles down toward his jaw.

Klaus thinks he has got to be dreaming as he feels warm and cold all at once on different parts of his body and he knows Caroline is holding him. He wishes this was under better circumstances for the billionth time tonight as he feels her fingers roaming his face hearing her heartbeat close to his ear. His doctor had warned him about getting too caught up in his work that he would forget to keep his body in check but Klaus never took him seriously. He thinks back to when he first was diagnosed all that time ago, he had just been promoted and seemed like nothing could get him down. But this did, he had forgotten his pills back in his room not having taking them in two days had took its toll. He wanted to move to his side as he felt the water trickling down around them, pull her close to keep her warm but she held him in his place. He tried to at this "Stubborn to no end," he whispered to her before he heard her try to suppress a laugh. He reached up with his good hand pulling her face closer to his until he could feel her warm breath on his face. He didn't open his eyes as he pulled Caroline's head toward him, she didn't fight him or want to for that matter. She was scared for them both and there was nothing she could do but heed his request for closeness. She thought dumbly about how her breath might not be so great at this moment before hunching closer to him.

They stayed that way for some time just breathing in each other's breath waiting for the silence to end with sounds of anything like guns or running but nothing ever came. Their own weapon made useless by the water soaking them not that they had so many bullets left. He turned his head to his left resting on her thigh as he pulled her face over to rest on his right side feeling the softness of her cheek and nuzzling her as if trying to say '_I'm sorry I didn't know how to keep you safe_.' Caroline started to cry letting two tears roll down before brushing them away forcing herself to stop, she could cry tomorrow. That was something her mom had always taught her, she could almost hear her saying it, "I'll cry tomorrow." Before heading out to work after her husband left her she was so strong that Caroline wished she had half of the will her mother did. She kisses his cheek running her mouth along his jaw and back up to his mouth her voice breaking as she says, "I-I'm so sorry. I should've been more careful in all of this instead of storming off just to prove you wrong." He groaned at this wishing he had the strength to get up and hold her to tell her it wasn't her that caused any of this, he was the leader of the group and made a bad call in sending her in too soon. There was so much he wanted to say to her but he was so tired at this point all he could do was pray for a chance to tell her tomorrow.

Morning came waking them both as the sun took over the blue sky surrounding them clear as it gets after a big storm. He awoke before her watching as she slept for a moment clutching onto his shirt with her fists as his arms wrapped around her at some point in the night. He inhaled her scent filled with ammo, sweat, the lingering perfume from the morning and even some of her blood or his but even now she smelled wonderful, _"Apparently there was more to the saying love is blind. It had also lost its ability to smell too_," Klaus thought. He ran his hands up and down her back whispering, "Love wake up." She hit him still in her sleep muttering, "Not now Nik, I'm still tired." He smirked shaking her awake saying louder, "What was that now?" Caroline's eyes shoot open realizing her mistake scooting away from him crushing his arm in her haste to get away from direct contact like he was a fire and she was just burned. He whimpers and she immediately feels worse hurting his other arm, it was definitely not his week. "I can't catch a break," he mumbles trying to stand without her assistance, she sees this and backs away waiting for him to ask for it. He doesn't but he does manage to stand on his own two feet before she even realizes because he's left her behind walking towards a fence she's just seen. It turns out they were close to the end of the wooded area when they stopped last night not even realizing it with all the rain.

Klaus walked through the mud his feet sloshing around in a few puddles, last night this had been their saving grace today it was a nuisance on his boots. He tested the fence and it came apart on the side revealing a nice hole probably made by the animals that lived in the area. He looked behind him to see Caroline with a cute little pout on her face walking toward him she looked tired but mostly upset. "Come on now," he shouts pulling the wire back some more for the both of them to fit through to get across and onto the dirt road. She starts jogging towards him to pick up the pace, ignoring the way he looks at her as she does this she pushes forward until she reaches him. Not giving him the opportunity to comment she bends over sliding through the hole hoping her hair and what is left of her clothes don't catch anywhere. He follows her soon after ignoring how his want for her is drowning out the pain throughout his own body. When he got back his doctor was really gonna get a run for his money if he got back. He walked behind Caroline following her mud footprints not looking up unless it was to listen to her comment on how her shoes were ruined or something like that.

The heat made the sweat trickle down their backs and they both found themselves wishing for some of the cold they felt the night before. Caroling couldn't stop sneezing and Klaus was coughing every now and again throughout their walk down the road. He found himself walking in step with her as she slowed down moving closer to him, again a new development he thought as he mentally high-fived himself. She wrapped her arm around his waist on her left leaning her head on his shoulder before continuing on in silence. He tried not to comment but he could not help the smile spreading across his face as he moved his right arm up onto her own arm pulling her closer. Looking ahead they saw a house that looked somewhat abandoned with tall grass that had grown over the front windows. Approaching it they looked around to see if anyone was around the area, that's when Klaus heard the grass crunch behind him. He threw Caroline down on the floor as he spun around with his foot making direct contact with someone's face.

Caroline got up as she heard the thud of the other body land on the ground close by standing behind Klaus she looked down at the now unconscious body before them. A gun was cocked behind her head before she even knew what was happening hitting her already split open skull. She raised her hands in a surrender pose begging Klaus with her eyes not to try anything, he nodded once and she understood his message. The voice behind her bellowed for her to turn around slowly, she knew it was now or never as she flung herself around grabbing the gun and turning it around on the voice she was now face to face with. It was her partner Kol he looked at her with a little bit of fear and a little bit of something else like he still had the upper hand. Remembering Klaus' rule about having the upper hand she knew what she had to do and she would enjoy it. That's when Caroline shot him in the arm clipping him, Kol yelps at no one in particular as he slumps to the ground. "Be a man about it," she says as she swings the gun up and then back down on his face bearing him unconscious. "They were waiting us out, hoping we would find our way here." Klaus says as they drag both the men up to the house after surveying the rest of the area to see if anyone else was around. Inside they find rope, guns, cell phones and preservatives.

Tying the men up onto the chairs that seem less likely to break while they try to break free they finish quickly hoping they don't awake before they're done restraining them. Klaus reaches into the ice cooler grabbing two waters for Caroline and himself handing one to her. She takes it chugging it whole at once, he follows suit. Grabbing a banana off the table Klaus peels it taking a bite out of it trying to think the last time anything ever tasted so good in his mouth, looking at Caroline he thinks of one but it's not food. He hears her stomach growling and he tosses her one too, she catches it scarfing it down. After that he searches the men to see what they may have on their persons, he finds a knife and two cell phones in total. He reached for Kol's calling headquarters to report the situation. The unknown man rotates his head upward meeting Caroline's eyes in the process. Klaus steps into another room hoping to get some privacy as he speaks to the director on the matter he plugs his other ear to listen to the director as Caroline backhanded the man that tried to attack him. Klaus says, "It seems Kol and this man were waiting us out in the hopes of catching us unawares but they got themselves injured quite badly along the way."

The director asks how but Klaus only smirks as he hears the window breaking behind him. He says, "I don't know sir. They might have fallen out of the vehicle when the rocket launcher missile hit us in the aftershocks." The director cuts their conversation short after that to send a unit in after them locating them through the now turned on GPS tracker on Kol's phone. He walks back into the living room his eyes seeing something her never thought he would, Caroline is banging Kol's head into the window frame. He doesn't know how she got the strength to drag him all that way but he feels like he should stop her. A few more bangs and he goes to loosen her grip on the poor man's hair. She looks up at him with the fire burning in her eyes asking why she should stop if he was the cause of all of this. It's that moment when Klaus decides he never wants to cross her even for a second, he realizes he is going to miss her once this case is over and he's gone for good. Everyone thinks he's transferring back to Wales but in reality he's just filled out the paperwork so he can get there and retire. As much as he loves his job, he loves the places it has taken him to more, hoping to explore the world more before his condition worsens. Even with all the money in the world he can't fix himself, but he can live until he doesn't anymore.

She releases Kol after Klaus loosens his hold on her hand moving away from them both backing into the corner of the kitchen dropping down to sit on the ground. She sits pulling her knees to her chest and bearing her face in her hands crying silent tears hoping Klaus doesn't hear her stupidly considering hers six feet away from her. "_Better than six feet under_," she thinks as she hears his footsteps hesitantly inching closer to her sitting form. He sets himself down by her side though not as close as either of them would like but considering there are two men tied up and watching them he decides he made the right choice. The four sit in silence for a few more minutes before hearing a varied number of cars pulling up the front of the house coming to a stop. Klaus turns to Caroline asking her to stay there and silent until he's sure it is their ride back and not their impending doom. She looks like she wants to argue but he gets up and silently heads to the window before she can comment. There is too much silence she decides after a bit wishing she had a weapon as she hears the front door swing open. She shuts her eyes tightly as she hears her name called out above her, freezing as hands grab at her arms to pull her up.

She looks up seeing the familiar face of O'Connor and hugs him tightly for a few seconds taking him by surprise before releasing him. He winces as he surveys her damage, Caroline suddenly becomes very self-conscious which he notes handing her his jacket. Klaus sees all this through the window from where he sits at the ambulance station feeling an acute pain he would rather not recognize as jealousy or possession over her. He shouldn't feel that way because of his condition but to be honest she's the only one he wants to get better for. Ever since he met her she has been his drive to get up and go to work, to keep living just to see a roll of her eyes and feel a moment's gratification knowing he caused it. She walks out of the house searching for him, Klaus didn't come back in the house for her and she wants to know why. She finds him over by the ambulance as they strap him into the bed covered in an orange blanket. Removing O'Connor's jacket and shoving it back into his chest Caroline runs toward Klaus refusing any assistance into her own ambulance saying she will ride with her boss. He sees her moving toward him and doesn't understand what she is doing as she climbs in reaching for a blanket on the side of his bed cart pulling it around her back her eyes never leaving his as she reaches for his hand and the back door closes on them.

I hope this lived up to the first chapter! Please do let me know, Thank you.

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	3. Chapter 3

Caroline doesn't hold out much longer after the paramedic shuts the back doors, Klaus sees this pulling her to him. She smiles weakly as he scoots over making room for her, she slides in on her side covering herself with her own blanket and wrapping her arm around him once more. It has been a few minutes, but when he didn't come back in for her she got scared she wouldn't see him again. As much as he hangs around her it always feels like he might disappear at any moment. "Don't leave me behind again or next time I'll kick your ass." she says breathing him in. He nods to her kissing the top of her head and placing his hand on top of hers in the middle of his chest. She falls asleep soon after relaxing into him as Klaus rubs circles into the back of her hand humming 'Hey Jude' in her ear. "I'm not going anywhere while I can help it sweetheart." he says as the ambulance turns into the hospital entrance and stops.

Klaus wakes up sometime later, when he opens his eyes he sees his doctor looking over his case file beside him. Then he feels the IV's sticking out of him from both arms, "Dr. Smith," Klaus says to the man getting his attention soon wishing he hadn't considering the grave face he gives Klaus. "Klaus, what the hell were you thinking? In your condition no less, I'm surprised you're this okay at this point. What happened out there?" Klaus grunts trying to sit up in the uncomfortable bed he's been settled with regretting it when he uses his hands to push himself up moving the needles. "What happened is that I survived. I had to get Caroline out of harm's way and I did my duty." he manages to say wincing at the pain he feels in his back. "Sit back Klaus, you'll pop a stitch." Dr. Smith says as he checks Klaus' vitals and hands him a glass of water and hands him his pills.

He talks them rather reluctantly and drinks them down chugging down the water, "Good now let us discuss your condition. Firstly I will start with what I always start with, you should start you're treatment. The longer you wait, the less of a chance you have. I know we haven't discussed it since you were transferred but." Klaus puts his hand up as much as he can to stop the good doctor, "I'll do it, whatever it is. Whenever you want me to I just have to be decommissioned first." The good doctor stares at Klaus a moment bewildered but not willing to question it so he doesn't change his mind. "Where is Caroline?" he asks the question he's been holding back the hole time. The doctor pauses before he answers him, "Uh, Klaus the woman that was with you. She uh," Klaus sits p once more losing his patience. "What happened Henry?" he asks seething as the doctor backs away knowing not to mess with Klaus when he gets this way. "She's in the intensive care unit. The injury she sustained at the back of her skull put her in a coma. You were the last one to see her awake." Klaus can feel his heart plummet as he listens to the doctor's words.

He was inconsolable for the next few days as his doctor worked to get him better fast enough to go see her. She had been moved to her own private room per his request two days after the incident though he secretly hoped she would wake up and say it was all a sick joke. He would forgive her even though it was a sick game to play, ever since he met her he hadn't gone a day without seeking her out. A small ghost of a smile played on his lips thinking back at the first and last day she had requested off. He bribed the boys into telling him where she lived showing up with lunch at her front door. She looked mad but the smile that came when he showed her the lunch he had gotten made him think he could be forgiven. "Come in," she said begrudgingly as she opened the door wider for him to pass. "Thank you, but you know one of those burritos is mine right?" he said walking in and turning his head to her as he continued toward the couch. She shook her head fake pouting as the microwave timer went off in the kitchen. "That used to be my lunch." she says placing the bag down on the dining table before racing off to the kitchen.

He laughed as he smelt the smoke coming from the inside as she opened the door to the microwave frowning. "I burnt my TV diner." She grabbed the tray tossing it in the trash before she grabbed the bag of gas station burritos and jumped on the couch next to him. "Fine, you can have two because you brought me food and because I'm feeling pretty damn gracious right now." She told him as she opened the bag pulling one out and handing it to him with one of the napkins inside. He stoked he fingers as he reached for the burrito holding it for a second longer than he needed to just to keep feeling that current running through him coming from her. She pulled her hand a way grabbing for a burrito in the bag without a napkin a he looked out her living room window. That was when he had decided to pursue her -he had never felt that way. It was one of the reasons he didn't want to get treated figuring there was no point, but the way he felt just sitting with her it was something else.

His doctor walked in to inform him he had a visitor he didn't know who it could be considering his family was back home. He obliged letting henry bring her in to meet with him, she was blonde and wearing a police uniform. "Mrs. Forbes I presume." she nodded in surprise shaking his pale hand before taking a seat next to his bed. "How did you know who I was Mr. Mikaelson?" she asks scooting her chair closer and he sees the resemblance between Caroline and her. "Klaus please, your daughter speaks highly of you. I'm sure she has read you in on her job," her mother nods once more, "She is a very brave girl. I bet she gets it from you." He sees a tear threatening to come out of her eye and he reaches for the tissue box next to his bedside handing it to her. "Thank you, and not just for this," she sees gesturing to the tissue as she continues, "My daughter can be stubborn as a mull when it comes to doing what she wants and I'm to understand you are the only one who can talk her down. That means I owe you a great deal."

Klaus sees the sadness disappear for a moment replaced by gratitude as she continues to talk about Caroline. "She talks about you all the time you know. Says you've saved her more times than she can count but she'd never tell you. She's a strong girl, but even she couldn't have known this would have happened. Could you tell me how she was before she went to sleep?" Klaus doesn't know what to say or what he is allowed to say but he figures her mother deserves the truth and he is the only one who can give it right now. He nods to her and she smiles before he begins recounting their tale starting at the beginning when they met after he heard about her. He leaves out the parts about him pursuing her and the tape knowing when Caroline awoke she would kill him. But something about the way she looked at him made him think that she knew he was in love with her daughter.

After a while Klaus' doctor comes in to ask her to leave so that Klaus can rest considering visiting hours are over. She says nods turning to Klaus though she says, "I'll just go and say good night to her and tell her you say hi." She's gone before Klaus comments on how happy he is she would give her a message from him even if it is a 'hi' and she might not hear it. That night he sleeps for the first time in ages dreaming of how things could have gone different if he hadn't of picked her of the farm. If he had met her at a different time and they had fallen in love and he wasn't so sick. He smiles in his sleep as he watches her twirl around him in their home in a flowered dress barefoot trying to get him to dance with her. He relents like he always does giving into her every whim to make her smile and say, "I love you." He misses her so much when he wakes later that night drying his eyes with the back of his hand needing her close to him.

Two days, later his doctor decides he's fit to be discharged and Klaus is finally free to get up and walk around after a week of doing nothing but sitting. "I want to see her before I go." he says as they remove all the cords from him allowing him to stand on his own and use the bathroom before he changes into the clothes his team brought for him. Brushing his teeth quickly he ties his laces quickly handing agent Fornell his bag to place in the truck before they drive to the decommissioning ceremony later. He rides the elevator up a few floors with Fornell and Dr. Smith keeping a watchful eye on him as he steps out and henry tells him which way to go. "Rom 304, on your left Klaus." He waves them off walking as fast as his legs can take him at this point before he spots the room. The door is halfway open and he sees Caroline's mother fluffing her daughter's pillow he stands there watching.

She sees him after a minute waving him in to the room he walks hesitantly through the short hall bracing himself as his eyes find her laying on the bed motionless. "I'll give you a few moments." She says as she walks out of the room leaving Klaus with Caroline alone. He walks over to the chair her mother was sitting in placing himself on it and taking her hand, "I'm sorry I put you to sleep that day, I did this to you. And I will forever be sorry for it," he sobs out. Wiping his tears away once more he gets up never letting her hand go and he kisses her forehead before running his nose down the side of her face and kissing the left corner of her mouth, whispering, "Goodbye sweet Caroline." He places her hand down after giving it one last kiss knowing he won't ever see her again, his heart breaks as he steps out of the room straightening up. Her mom comes to him and hugs him whispering, "She'll be fine here, but when she wakes she's going to ask for you. Thank you for the room." Then she lets go wiping her tears as he walks down the hall grabbing his bag from Fornell and pushing the down button for the elevator.

Klaus doesn't know how he makes it through the rest of the day let alone the ride to headquarters to sign all the paperwork so he can leave. After the formalities have taken place everyone comes around wishing him luck, and hoping he has a safe trip home but he barely hears them. Walking out of the small office that he occupied with a box of things he passes by her desk running his fingers along her chair. Picturing her there busting his chops like she always did, but she isn't there so he walks past heading for the elevator. O'Connor catches up to him just as the door opens holding a box out to him, Klaus looks it him oddly, "I didn't figure you for a going away present kind of guy, you had me fooled." O'Connor laughs straightening out his tie and handing Klaus the box, "It's not from me. Caroline had the idea to get you something before you left. This was delivered a few days ago, I figured I should get it to you before she woke up and killed me for not doing so." Klaus nods agreeing with him as he takes the box and places it inside the one he is already carrying. He puts out his hand and O'Connor shakes it parting ways as the elevator door closes on him.

Caroline's eyes shoot open that night, her mother calls out for the doctor to come quickly as the nurse comes in to confirm she is awake. The doctor enters checking her eyes and the machines she has been attached to, Caroline blinks reaching for her mom's hand. "Where's Klaus?" she asks her but her mom cries harder before she says, "He left today, this morning after he came to see you." Her heartbeat picks up and the doctor asks her to calm down and try to relax. Caroline moves the hand her mother isn't holding and gives him the bird practically fuming at the thought that he left her again after he promised he wouldn't. "_This has to be how jack felt after rose let go after she promised not to let go,_" she thinks holding onto her mother tighter. The nurse gives her a sedative and before long she feels nothing once more dizzy and laughing at her mom's tears. "I'm okay mom, I promise." then she sleeps once more.

Klaus gets on the plane after Dr. Smith wishes him a good flight and informs him that he will be on the next plane so they can start his treatment before next week. Klaus wanted to back out of it but the good doctor made him keep to his word saying he would tell his siblings damming patient confidentiality. He says good bye and soon he boards the plane with his travel bag by his side, he sits down preparing for his journey. Thinking about how she looked this morning, pale and thin laying there because he had failed at his one job, he could help everyone else but her. He felt so ashamed as she lay there and he was fine walking around, he wishes it was him and not her. She had so much to live for, not like him who could die even with this new treatment he was being blackmailed into. Reaching for his bag on the ground by his feet he pulls the zipper revealing the box O'Connor had given him. He still hadn't opened it, he wasn't itching to either, it was like if he opened it she might disappear and he would only be left with whatever was inside.

Caroline woke up later that night coming out of her drugged state, "_What the hell did they give me?_" she thinks as she rubs her eyes and stretches out her arms. She takes off all the wires attached to her but decides to leave in the IV thinking it might hurt if she did it. She looks to left seeing her mom curled up on a wooden chair with part of Caroline's blanket. She smiles watching her before she looks out the window at the stars wondering were Klaus could be. "I don't know where you are but you're going to feel really sorry for making me feel this way Nik," she tells the night sky as she starts to silently cry. "Sometimes you win sometimes you lose Caroline," she whispers, "He better not forget about me." before she curls up into a ball sobbing into her pillow about all that has happened. Her mom hears her crying and isn't sure if she should let her let it out or tell her to not cry just yet. She goes to her choosing the ladder, "Come her baby, she whispers curling up next to her, "He won't forget about you, I could see it in his eyes. When he talked about you and when he came in to see you." Caroline cried harder, her lungs hurt so bad and her voice would be horse the next day but this was the only night she would allow herself to cry over him ever again.

Klaus woke up in his bed wearing the same clothes he had gotten home in, his family didn't know he was there yet so he grabbed a bottle and drank away his night. "Time can heal the pain," he says before he gets up off the bed struggling a bit before standing. He removes his shirt standing by his mirror looking at his back in the reflection, the stitches still intact but looking kind of swollen. He hadn't let henry look him over since he had awoken so it was his own fault. That wound would fester like the one on the inside of him burning in his heart. Removing his pants he heads to his bathroom adjusting the shower settings before stepping in trying to wash off all the bad. It didn't work but he did smell nice after a while so he got out and dressed himself. He had to go out and get some good food for his empty cabinets before he started his treatment and everything would taste bad. He looked up and saw her standing by his window smiling at him, he blinked and she was gone. He left his apartment not bothering to lock it just wanting to get out as fast as possible.

Caroline was released from the hospital a week after he left they had kept her there for observation just in case she went back into a comatose state. Once everyone knew she was awake they had come to question her over what had transpired the day before she fell into her coma just in case Klaus missed something. She gave them an accurate description of what had happened she got a few raised eyebrows and clearing of throats but no comments as she continued. They told her once she was free to go that she would have to keep a low profile because the people after her were going to come back eventually. Caroline agreed with them after receiving an award for catching Kol and his little friend. She went back to her apartment to get some stuff before going home with her mom. On their way out they were ambushed on the street, her mother shoot one man in the chest and the other two drove off uninjured. She came out from behind the car she was hiding by to check on the man, he was still alive. The police came quickly after that, bullet being shot at civilians tends to move them along bringing an ambulance in the process. "Are they after me? Are they after then man that was with me?" she says keeping pressure on his chest, "Answer!" she yells and he nods before he closes his eyes. "Damn it."

Klaus took a few days to drink and eat before checking into the center dr. smith worked at to start his treatment like he promised. He felt weak all the time now he had been thinking all of this would make him stronger so it was frustrating to say the least. He yelled at everyone, and felt like killing someone for just looking at him too long when he wasn't angry he was depressed. Thinking of Caroline and whether or not she was still in a coma or not, he wanted to call and ask but he was scared they might say she was worse. That day in particular he had to go into surgery for a few hours so he was more on edge than usual but refusing sedatives until it was time for the surgery. It was getting time to start heading into the prepping area when he heard steps outside, they were very distinctive and he wished he was allowed to have one of his weapons in here. Walking passed his room the descending feet couldn't be heard anymore, a nurse came in with a smile on her face. "Time for you to go into surgery Mr. Mikaelson." She said eerily before injecting him and setting up a new IV. He couldn't concentrate much longer on his surroundings or the man walking in but Klaus knew it was him and that soon he would be in big trouble.

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AN: Only a few more chapters on this one! Hope you enjoyed though. Thank you to all the people who have been reading, following, favorite-ing and reviewing. You're all awesome!


	4. Chapter 4

Secret agent man chapter four

It had been more than a week since Caroline had transferred back to her home state much to her mother's delight. She was sitting in her new apartment which was still empty considering all her stuff was ruined at the last place she lived in though her mother loved her near because she comes over whenever she wants. She was currently waiting to get the okay so she could get back to work with her new team. Caroline missed her work with the boys all the time now that she was here with nothing to think about or do but despite herself she misses Klaus above all. He left her behind in a coma no less when he promised he wouldn't leave her again and at the first opportunity he vanished. "Mom please stop fussing over me. I'm fine." Caroline whines from the couch to her mother in the kitchen.

"No you are not, you are still hurt and I am your mother now let me take care of you," her mother says in her 'I know better' tone walking over to her daughter to fluff her pillow. "No mom I am fine, damn fine and you can tell that to the town paper." Caroline says with a huff trying to prove a point but failing miserably looking into her mom's face. "Sweetie the town paper isn't published in England." Her mother rebukes walking into the kitchen away from her daughter. Caroline grabs her blanket throwing it over her head like a child muttering, "That is not what I meant, mom."

"Sure it wasn't honey." her mom intones coming back in with a cup of tea setting it in her daughter's lap. "Drink it if you don't miss him," her mother says challengingly sitting down to face her as she says so. "I don't miss that man so I will." She declares and takes teacup in her hand clumsily knocking it to the floor. "Opps." Caroline stammers looks up at her mom smiling sweetly hoping her mother doesn't read into it. "Its fine I'll just make more until you can manage to get it down your throat," her mother stands taking the cup and saucer off the floor and walking away without another word. Caroline gapes at her mother as she gazes at her daughter contently from the kitchen serving her more tea from the kettle.

The next day Caroline is on her morning run by the park when she hears her phone go off in her pocket she slows down. Reaching for her pink Bluetooth and pressing 'Talk'. "This is Forbes," she says panting as she pauses for a break to talk, "Caroline it's me O'Connor." her old partner says seemingly stressed about something but she is still visibly excited to those passing her. She practically yells her hello to him, "Hey Ric! How've you been? Checking up on me?" hoping this isn't a business call. He replies plainly, "I didn't call to check on you per-say. The thing is I think Klaus is in danger." Pausing for a moment before he continues to let the words sink before he continues.

"The people that were after you, their new leader is someone from his past. They're going to kill him and I don't think it is about you anymore." Caroline freezes forgetting her jogging as she plugs her other ear to listen to Ric sitting on a nearby bench. "What does that have to do with me then?" she asks indifferently once she reminds herself how much she hates the man now. She can actually hear Ric staring her down from states away before he groans, "Look Caroline I don't know what self-righteous trip you are on right now but Klaus needs your help. It was your mistake that even got their attention as much as Klaus wanted to take the fall for you. So suck it up get on a plane and go to him."

Caroline knows she deserved that, he was right it was her fault she just wished she wasn't so good with grudges, "Why can't the agency inform him through his new job? Clearly he likes it more there than here," Caroline says running her fingers through her ponytail in an effort to calm herself. "Caroline, we can't do anything for Klaus. He is a civilian now. Why you may ask? He resigned because of an illness he has that he kept a secret from us all. There is no protection for him." Ric finishes angrily and feeling the need to throttle her.

Caroline stands once more as she hears the frustration in her friends' voice understanding the predicament and swallowing her pride she starts her run again to go home and pack. "Fine, I'm going." She says hanging up with him and pulling out her phone to call the airport and book a flight out as soon as possible. "Yes when is the next flight out to England, um okay can I get a ticket now or. Okay thank you." Just as she hits her street she finishes with her airport business remembering she is supposed to go back to work today.

She packs very lightly even for her trying to get ready at the same time before she heads to her new office to speak with her boss. She spots him walking into in the surveillance room. She walks in after him hoping to get a word in before he starts working, "Uh sir, I know I said I could start on a new case right away but I just found out I have to take a few days off for a personal matter." Caroline was visibly frowning as her new boss man Jet Jackson turned to face her with a serious look in his eyes. "I know the last group you worked with were sweet on you. But let's make one thing clear, I am not them. You can't take back what you said. Everything is riding on this going well very soon so stay or leave your gun."

Caroline eyes him not believing his words before pointing to her holster saying, "This is my gun." Walking off sure she was leaving him baffled but not really caring she was out the door before he could recover. She was also out of her new job she thought but shook her head as she reached for her keys deciding it was the right thing to do. "At least that is what I'll say to myself later." She says getting into her car and turning the engine on as she rolls up her jacket sleeves huffing. She drives out of the parking lot trying to find solace as she drives to the airport, "I can't believe I'm about to leave the country for the first time ever to save a man who doesn't feel a thing for me and lied to about quitting no less."

Checking her one bag she gets her ticket while waiting for her flight to be called wishing she wasn't about to spend the next few hours doing exactly what she was doing. She pulls out her phone dialing Ric's number once more to see if he might answer now. "Hey Ric, I just called to say I'm on my way out, I'll check in when I get there." she hangs up leaving a message on his voicemail.

O'Connor didn't get the message because he was filling out the paperwork to take a few days off to join Caroline hoping to get the team back together even if they were two men down. They had to finish this case sooner rather than later if Klaus was really as sick as the doctor had informed him before Klaus left. "Sir I need this. My team needs this. If we finish it once and for all at least we can have one less thing to deal with." Ric pleads with his boss playing any card he has to help him get to his goal.

The director nods his head and extends his arm and Ric takes it, "Klaus is only allowed on this as a consultant though. Don't let the lines get blurred he can't do a thing while he's sick. And since Caroline quit this morning I'll have her reinstated for this operation on our turf." Blindsided by the news, Ric controls himself and chuckles a bit wishing he was there to see that, she lived for the job. "Thank you sir, we won't let you down."

Shaking his hand he walks out taking his leave of the office for the time being. He waved goodbye to his old partner who was currently having his ear talked off by his new partner Jimmy. Passing security he headed toward the car lot ready to head out to the airport after Carline. He luckily always had a back-up suitcase filled with stuff in the back of his car so he could leave right away, something Klaus had taught him.

Caroline slept through the whole flight walking up in time to pick her seat up and pull on her seatbelt as the lights flashed on and off. "That was comfy," she said fixing her hair as best she could as she was looking beside her at the irritated passenger. "No it wasn't." said the man wiping Caroline's drool off of his jacket. "Sorry," she mumbles thinking how not all british accents are as hot as Klaus' before chiding herself for thinking his name.

"Hey Ric, I'm off the plane. Call me when you get this." She says hanging up hoping to get to the hotel to check in before sunset she walked over to the assistance line, "Hi I need a taxi." After waiting with her bag she finally got a ride to her hotel asking the driver to wait while she checked in so they could be off to the hospital afterwards. She checked in using a fake name once more glad she still had some props of her own from previous jobs just in case they were tracking her. The driver opened her door for her as she walked back to her cab having everything in order now to pick up Klaus and get him out of there.

"I'm looking for a patient named Niklaus Mikaelson. I was told he was here for some sort of treatment." Caroline says fidgeting with her jacket zipper. The lady checks her computer then says, "You mean the surgery right? For his condition," the nurse inquires looking at Caroline then back to the screen. "Um, yes that. Sorry I didn't know it was a surgery. He's very private" she says by way of explanation so she doesn't have to answer more questions.

"Who are you? Clearly you are not related to him," the nurse states looking at Caroline curiously with her arms crossed not willing to divulge any more information. Rebekah sees her and the nurse talking about her brother as she comes in, "His fiancé Caroline, she's with me sorry to waste your time nurse Grace." She says grabbing Caroline the woman drags her along. "So you're her," she declares eyeing her as if sizing her up. Caroline gets the impression that Nik was being delicate when he was talking about his sister's attitude when it came to the women he would date.

Caroline doesn't know to whom she is referring to so she just stands with the woman waiting for her to explain until she caves asking, "I'm sorry who are you?" as she crosses her arms pushing her hip out much like she used to with Nik. "Nik's sister," the girl replies holding her purse closer to her as if she were nervous, "Oh you're Rebekah!" Caroline says sighing with relief, "Okay hi I'm," she gestures to herself happily before she is cut off by his sister, "I know who you are. Nik talks about you all the time since he's met you." She articulates coolly to Caroline looking at her nails as Caroline blushes much to her dismay.

"Oh," she sighs looking away from his sister for a moment trying to focus on her mission not the butterflies in her stomach. Rebekah tires of this quickly saying, "Come with me, he's in here," she says turning around her skirt swaying along her legs as she does leading Caroline to his room. As they turn into the hall a man walks into the room she was heading to and Rebekah pulls her into another hall as if hiding from him. "What's wrong?" Caroline asks only to be shushed by Rebekah, "The man that went into my brother's room. He's been following us some time now. Is that why you are here?" she asks tightening her grip on Caroline's arm her eyes wide with fear.

Caroline nods her head, "Yes, after what I just found out if anyone is going to kill him it will be me," she mutters to Rebekah straightening up. She asks Rebekah to let go of her arm and hang tight, "Wait for me to come out them fallow. I'll be right back." She watches from the edge of the door as the man paces the room dropping a red rose on Klaus before walking out without a word ignoring her as she puts her back to him. She signals Rebekah to stay where she is once more she receives an eye roll, "_Just like her brother_," she thinks as she walks into his room.

"The red rose is a calling card for a hit," she recalls having received one awhile back when she first meet Nik. It was dark outside his window but Caroline knew what she was looking for when she noticed the sniper behind the ledge of the roof on the adjacent building. Caroline picks up the rose from his chest setting it on the table next to him as she gets to work. "This doesn't mean I like you or owe you anything I just don't want to see you dead yet." She says to him in a low voice wheeling out his bed from the room after having placed the empty bed next to him in his place with a few pillows and the rose on top.

Rebekah sees her roll out the bed not hesitating in following her down the other end of the empty hall happy it was dark out which meant less staff in this section. Just as they hit the elevator area a loud boom rocks the building coming from the inside of his room, an explosion. Rebekah's screams are muffled as Caroline's hand goes around her mouth using the other to pull Nik into the elevator with them. The door shuts and she lets go of his sister looking down at him peaceful as he sleeps and she thinks, _"Rocket launchers honestly_."

AN: Enjoy this chapter, thank you all for reading!


	5. Chapter 5

"Rocket launchers seriously -Then snipers Nik! What the hell am I supposed to do to keep you safe?" she whines mostly to herself knowing his sister isn't interested and he is well asleep. Rebekah was at least helpful through the transport however getting him into bed Caroline thought it should have been easier than this.

"Will you stop yelling at my brother? He is comatose." Rebekah says crossing her arms and staring at Caroline with a look that might slice her in half. Caroline however doesn't back down, "I'll yell whenever I want, whatever I want. He left. He didn't give a damn about me. Just took off happy to be rid of me." she says uncrossing her own arms and placing her hands on her hips angrily.

"He did not!" his sister yells sounding foolishly like a child but not caring as she inched closer to Caroline, "My brother is not one to abandon someone he loves!" Caroline laughs dryly at that throwing her head back before saying, "Well he did. –Wait. What did you say?" Caroline says forgetting the argument and placing the words.

Rebekah steps back uncrossing her arms and fixing her brothers sheets unnecessarily. "I didn't say anything," she says looking away from her brother's love. "Yes you did" Caroline says pointing a finger at her. "You said 'he loves' as in me" she says with air quotes before crossing her arms again staring at his sister expectantly.

"I said 'likes' you know, as in cares for," Rebekah says quietly walking out of her brother's room into the living area. She grunts when Caroline tackles her to the ground learning quickly Rebekah can fend for herself flipping the girl over onto her back holding her arms out to her sides' chest heaving from the action.

Caroline blows pieces of hair away from her face refusing to give in she sticks out her tongue knowing its juvenile but not minding so much. "So what if I did? You hate him." Rebekah says studying Caroline's expression as she says so egging her on. "I knew he shouldn't have fallen in love with such a narrow-minded outsider like you. But does he listen to me no."

Caroline is stunned into silence feeling her releasing her hands she hears Rebekah walking over to the kitchen. Caroline is left on the ground hands by her head where his sister left them, "He loves me and now I hate him. That's what he thinks? Truly?" she whispers to herself before standing up and dusting off her clothes.

Klaus knows he is in a dream state but he can't stop running, he can't be sure however if Caroline's presence is a dream or reality. He hears her talking to him, hears her crying over him and he just wants to reach out and touch her but every time he's close she disappears. "Caroline" he whispers catching his breath as he sees her once more and he is bathed in her light.

She looks up from her chair her tea long cold by now hand clutching his own when she hears him say her name waiting with baited breathe for his eyes to open though it doesn't come. "Why won't you wake up so I can pretend to be mad at you?" she asks in a low pleading tone.

"He doesn't want to wake up to someone that hates him," Rebekah says appearing in the doorway she watches the girl's sad expression. Caroline wipes her tears away with her hand hastily then crosses her arms, "Yeah well I woke up without him. At least now he gets a chance to see me feeling anything even if it's anger."

Rebekah walks past her and sits at the end of Klaus' bed legs out hands at her back leaning slightly backwards, "Nik isn't as complicated as he likes to believe. There is something inside of him that needs to ruin things." His sister says folding her hands in her lap, "Good things like you. I always thought it was strange but I guess not when you know the real story."

"How difficult is it to kill one man? He was comatose!" Mikael yells at the man he sent to kill his bastard child. The man looks down averting his gaze from his boss, "Sir there were factors that were not foreseen, your daughter was also there." He says knowing it is a weak excuse.

"My insipid offspring is your excuse?" Mikael asks rather lamely wondering why his daughter was at the hospital and taking note for later. "No sir," the failed henchman says quietly feeling for his gun just in case. Mikael stares the man down a bit longer looking as if he is contemplating something.

"Good let me show you all something." Mikael says reaching for the man's gun in the holster on his back talking to all the men in the room listening to them speak he turns to face them all. "He thought it was difficult to kill. He forgot how, I'll now demonstrate how." Mikael points the gun and shoots the sniper point blank. "Now get back to work and find him!" the room is silent until one man in the far back says, "Yes sir!" and the others follow in unison.

"Come with me," Rebekah says leaving the room Caroline hesitates not wanting to leave him alone but deciding it's for the best she exhales and walks over to him. Kissing his temple she lets go of his hand she unconsciously took ahold of moments ago feeling their fingers separate.

"What is it?" Caroline asks stopping by the door scared to move further away from him. "It just happens to be time I tell you a story. My brother's story and my own if you want to be precise. If you really are the one he loves. The one he finally listened to the doctors and sought treatment for you must know everything because he is never going to let you go."

Rebekah sits at the kitchen table gesturing for her to sit across and pouring some tea. "We'll need something strong and alcohol is out until we know what the real danger is." Caroline affirms with a nod pulling out a chair and tucking herself in. Taking a sip from the cup placed in front of her as Rebekah begins.

Quite frankly Caroline is stunned. She thought her father was bad but Mikael definitely took the prize. "So your father, his step-father wants him dead?" Caroline squints angling her head an expression Klaus would find adorable but his sister finds irritating to no end.

"Nik became an informant for the agency he worked at yes, soon thereafter an agent." Rebekah says sitting up even straighter than before a proud expression on her face as Caroline's face conveys all sorts of emotions.

"Damn." Caroline says unceremoniously grabbing her teacup to take another sip and apologizing profusely for the language. Rebekah nods as acknowledgement adjusting the placemat and saucer and clearing her throat, "Yes, he stayed as long as he could in our family home to collect Intel until I caught him one day."

"Nik was gone soon after a fight with my mother you see. He was tired of her never defending us, he took to beating all of my brothers while she watched. Can you imagine? A family within high society. The things that happened behind closed doors." Rebekah shakes her head ridding herself of a distant memory.

Caroline finishes her tea quickly reaching for the pot once more refilling her cup she looks up as Rebekah thumps her hand on the table, "My father practically got off on bringing my brothers down one by one breaking them to his liking. My father was to be feared and my brother sought to do right by us all." She says leaning forward to take the pot from Caroline and serve herself more tea.

"I of course am not supposed to know any of this, but my dear brother cannot deny me anything." She says staring at her nails for a moment before looking Caroline square in the eye, "It is quite tragic really when you think about it. My father thinks I am too close to my Nik, he says I'll soon get hurt if I stick with him. It might be a threat, I'm not sure."

Caroline can't seem to string words into sentences at the moment as her thoughts circulate about the things Klaus would say or do now making sense to her. Rebekah pulls her from her thoughts saying, "He has tried to stop me from seeing Nik. Mikael has no clue I know what he is. I help Niklaus where ever I can in what I can but my father is not an easy man to deal with."

"I can imagine. Um I need more tea you?" Caroline places the teacups carefully in her hands walking back to the kitchen stopping by the stove to refill their cups with the second pot placed on the stove earlier. Once more her brain takes over thoughts swarming in her head making her angry or exasperated or something she can't be sure.

"It still doesn't excuse him. He left knowing we were both in danger I can't forgive him for that." The next thing Caroline hears whizzes by her head she ducks barely missing the vase from the center of the table. She looks up hands by her head for cover her heart racing she looks up at the culprit. "What the hell?" Caroline says standing up from her crouched position.

Rebekah huffs placing her hands down on the table fighting the urge to lug other things at her favorite brothers love. Her face goes red at the girl's words and she feels herself losing her cool once more yelling at her brothers new someone, "His love for this one girl, this one very stupid girl who hates him for no particular reason other than she can."

She groans reaching for the silverware as Caroline ducks once more, "It is so intense that he wills his sick weakening body not to shut down so he may get her to safety!" she yells chucking spoons at her. "Caroline you may think it's stupid. His reasons for leaving you want to know them?" her voice comes down to a menacing whisper.

Caroline stares blankly at her so Rebekah continues walking around the table, "Nik left to seek treatment for you! To get better for you! So he could live his life with you! A spot opened up for him and he took it." She looks down at Caroline with a withering gaze pointing her finger at her. "What is more I'm glad he did." She says crouching down and resting on her knees facing Caroline.

She looks the girl straight in the eye as she says these words feeling the power behind them, "And I'm glad he left you knowing now what he would go back to. Your reproachful stares and letdowns he would endure if it meant he got to see you more." She says silencing Caroline with another glare.

"You're selfish and I feel sorry for you Caroline. You can say you hate him but don't cry by his bed wishing things were different. Wishing you could believe he felt anything for you. Because it was real." Rebekah says clutching Caroline's arms as if to shake some sense into her.

"Every day he spoke about this one majestic girl he couldn't quite get enough of and right now I don't see her." she says her voice cracking as she wipes a tear away from her cheek, "Nik loves you and that's not something that's ever going to go away," his sister says before walking out of the living room to go sit with her brother shutting the door behind her.


	6. Chapter 6

"Sir we think we have something," a man says from the above floor drawing Mikael's attention to him. His boss comes up the steps as the other soldiers hurriedly move out of his way "What is it now? Another disappointment or something useful?" Mikael says not at all amused with the day he has had.

"Sir we have an agent that red flagged his name is O'Connor." The man says moving the screen over so his boss can see the man in questions passport picture and information. "Ah yes. My idiot sons' lapdog." He says patting his soldiers back, "Good work. You get to live another day."

The man nods swallowing nervously as his boss leaves the surveillance area a mischievous grin rarely seen plastered on his face. Mikael walks out of the building and closes his cell phone his car pulls up not wanting to wait any longer he opens the door himself and gets in, "To the airport, I have a guest waiting."

"Caroline please come back inside so we can talk this out," Klaus says knowing perfectly well that he is begging and he kind of loses respect for himself at that moment. "No Mikaelson, I know I'm right and I'm going to prove it to you." Caroline says checking her gun and then putting it into her holster and pulling on her jacket.

"Damn it Caroline are you always sooo think headed?" he says grapping her arms pulling her closer to him so he can whisper the next words. "I know you're right. If I send you out there right now bad things could happen." Klaus looks into her eyes hoping to find some comprehension behind them.

Instead Caroline smiles wickedly "I knew it, you think I'm right too! Nothing bad can happen I have you to back me up," she says poking his chest playfully. She saunters away from him walking on sunshine because he said she is right. She hears him say in a defeated tone "I'm not going to be here forever Caroline," her heart falls upon hearing those words.

Instead of admitting so she turns back to face him once more smoothing out her jacket, "Don't call me that," she says her lower lip in a pout as his smile grows. "It's your name love, if you don't like it take it up with you parents," he says walking towards her he leans in.

"Rebekah, get in here he just smiled in his sleep, what do we do?" Caroline says nervously waving the girl over to them. His sister comes in careful to avoid touching either of them but happy when she notices her clutching her brothers hand. "Caroline relax, that happens all the time, once he's awake you can ask him. Won't be long now."

Caroline visibly relaxes her shoulders slumping as she starts breathing normally again, "Okay, Does Nik-he have a special bottle hiding around here for when you hit rock bottom? I need a sip." Rebekah gives her a small understanding smile as she points her to the bar, Caroline says, "Thank you," as she leaves room.

She comes back in a moment ducking her head in-between the door, "Hey Rebekah, I'm sorry about before. Sometimes my mouth just runs away from me and I can't help it." Caroline sees his sister turns to face her, "I'm aware, my brother is a big fan of when that happens even though it was stressful on his condition." Rebekah says not so quick to forgive the girl or give too much away about the conversation from before.

"Nik you bloody bastard! I know you're awake." Klaus opens his mouth to defend himself instinctively, "Don't speak let me." Klaus nods slowly furrowing his brows before she continues looking out at the doorway to see where Caroline is, "It was father who tried to kill you at the hospital. You knew that didn't you."

He nods, "Why didn't you say anything?" she says swatting him lightly on the chest like she was reprimanding a small child. He feigns a hurt expression annoying Rebekah further. "Caroline is here," he smiles widely as she rolls her eyes. "She is going to act like she is revolted by you. When in reality she has spent her time moping around for you. She loves you Nik. Hold on to that." Rebekah goes to door opening it slightly, "Caroline, you were right he's awake!"

Klaus panics throwing a pen at his sister from his bedside table his muscles aching more than anything really. He feels like he needs more time to think and it overwhelms him, "Bekah!" he hisses his sister not at all prepared to see Caroline. She turns around a bit "Shh old man, ah there she is." Klaus goes back to being unable to move as his girl walks in a vision really his eyes never leave her form even when she refuses to look up.

The awkward in the room takes over as the three mentally wish for someone to say something and Bekah really just wants to leave. Caroline's words and nerves get the best of her, "Oh hey Nik. Uh Klaus. What's up? What is up with you? Haha" she says lamely her hands scattering around in weird gestures. Klaus smiles eyeing her weirdness, he missed her this way.

He manages to sound collected as he is saying, "Oh nothing, Love. Just woke up from the dead in my bed after a long surgery in my apartment with you and my sister. Not in my hospital robes either. How about you?" he says gesturing at the chair his sister was sitting in earlier.

"Oh me?" Caroline says both her hands coming up to her chest as she slowly makes her walk further into the room. She fumbles for a bit walking past his sister and reaching for the armrest. "You know me. Just shootin' the breeze, kickin' it really." She says stretching out her words trying to make herself comfortable in the chair while feeling watched.

He gazes at her his heart sailing lighting up his eyes not caring that his sister is taking meticulous mental notes to use against him later. She feels the heat rising in her face, her fingers itching to touch him just to be sure he is real. Her unshed tears threatening to rise up and face him and she can't allow it when he says to her, "Yes, I know you." She hit his knee looking away from him, "I changed your robes."

She places her hands on either side of the chair getting up at his omission ready to bolt, "Okay well, I'm gonna go make some more tea 'cause we're out you know. You want some tea?" she says running a hand through her disheveled hair not bothering to look behind her at him or his sister.

"All right then. Hurry back Sweetheart," he says waving at her backside and looking over to his sister on his left. "You two are absolutely ridiculous." Rebekah says propping herself on his window sill, "Is this how you talk to women? Honestly I'm beginning to see what you're doing wrong here."

"Rebekah, love never miss a good opportunity to shut up." Klaus says regretting his words even as they fall of his lips. She crosses her arms turning to face him, "Fine, I'll go make the tea and you and that woman can converse like awkward strangers while father is out there trying to have you killed for going against the family." Klaus looks at her his eyes pleading, "Wait Bekah, I'm sorry. I'm just exasperated with this whole thing." He says knowing she's gonna make him say more.

She sits down her interest captivated she waits for him to continue. Klaus takes this as a good sign, "She's what has kept me going despite everything, you and her are all I have and I'm trying very hard not to take you for granted but I need her to forgive me now." He takes her hand in his kissing the back of it feeling the need for medicine or alcohol which ever came faster.

"If I am to survive whatever happens next I need to know she will be there by my side, that I shouldn't have just died off like I planned." he stops his breathing becoming a bit labored from the pain, "And I need you more than ever to be okay with you not being my primary reason for existing which I know is hard for you but we all have to suck it up."

She notices his movements acknowledging his emotional and physical pain she leans in kissing his cheek "You're right Nik, I don't like her being top priority but I understand." She pauses seeing the shocked look on his face though it passes quickly.

"I know I was shocked too at first. But I know that you need one another in ways I could never begin to understand. She's the one that can help you in this where I cannot and because of that I will stand by you." She finishes her voice stronger than usual she smiles at him as he wipes a tear from her eye. "I love you baby sister," he whispers. She laughs slightly taking his hand in her, "I know, I love you more though. So much that I'm going to find you something to take that pain you're trying to hide from me away." He smiles mouthing, "Bless you."

Caroline clears her throat to announce her entry with the tea tray pretending she wasn't listening to the end of the conversation she walks around the bed past them both to set the tray down on the table by the window. "Tea's ready!" Caroline turns grasping at her sweater to calm her shaky hands even when they all notice.

Rebekah stands, "Thank you I'll take it in my room just as soon as this man takes these." Rebekah says as she pulls open his drawer finding pain medication and handing him some tablets. "I'm feeling a tad bit over today." she walks to the tray taking her own tea in her hands and walking out the door without another word.

"My sister, the queen of making a scene," Klaus says rising from his lying position to sit up and face Caroline on his left. "So you wanna get down to the gory details or avoid the situation some more?" She scoffs rolling her eyes, "Typical." She mutters sliding both her chair and the table holding their teacups closer to him.

"Klaus let's get one thing straight I'm not here for you, I'm not in love with you," he interrupts, "I never said anything about love Caroline." She talks over him blushing as she does, "And I definitely don't want to hear some lame ass excuse. I was in a coma you left. You were sick I know that now but it doesn't change a thing. So drink your tea and tell me what the hell is going on because I'm only here to keep you alive so I can go back to hating you relentlessly."


	7. Chapter 7

"I'm not saying a damn thing until you tell me why you are after them." O'Connor says in-between breaths as Mikael wipes the blood from his knuckles delicately with a white rag afterwards wrapping it around the man's eyes blindfolding him. Mikael just loving the way the hostage squirms slightly trying to remove it from his head. "I don't think you understand who's in power here."

O'Connor grimaces feeling the pain in his ribs as the man hits him once more You are not in charge so get it out of your American deluded mind. Tell me where they are hiding!" he stabs him once more making sure to rub in the salt before taking the towel on his shoulder and wiping his hands down. "Watch him, make sure he stays alive if only barely." The soldier nods and Mikael walks away.

"Can I at least ask if you're alright?" Klaus says feeling woozy as he reaches for his cup of tea missing the cup by a few inches. Caroline catches his hand setting the teacup in his hands she looks at him for the first time shrugging, "So what if I'm not okay? It's not like it changes reality." He nods to her taking a sip of his tea before putting it back on its saucer deciding on how to word his next statement and idly wondering if he has it in him to discuss it.

"Caroline, you may not want to hear it but I need you to know and maybe it's selfish to keep pushing but I don't care. I may die at any moment and I don't want you to be in the crossfire, I want you to go straight home and stay there." He says losing his vindication towards the end his eyes no longer piercing her own. Caroline leans forward, "You're being ridiculous if you think I'm leaving first off. And second I'm the one who was sent here to take care of you and that's just what I'm going to do, especially if it kills me." she says almost spilling her own cup of tea over herself from rage.

Klaus shakes his head keeping his eyes on the cup in his hands, "There are other ways to die love, like sitting in a chair waiting for the one girl who tears your soul up to wake up knowing you're the one that put her to sleep safe in your arms." He hears her scoff at his words and looks up to face her, the anger evident in one another's eyes. "Yeah you waited long, I'm sure you were gone just as soon as you could be Nik!" she says wiping the tears from her eyes she groaned throwing her hands in the air.

The cup rolls on the floor the saucer long forgotten on the ground next to it she stands pacing the front of his bed as she mumbles, "I like you. No matter how hard I try not to like you, no matter how hard I try to erase you…my efforts are so fruitless to the extent that I get angered by it." He smiles wishing he could lean forward to wipe away the tears she would undoubtedly deny having.

"Love, I'm grumpy about a lot of things but I don't want you to be," he says removing his hand from his own cheek feeling the need to shave. He sighs knowing what he has to do and that's push her even further away. "Why is it when you have time to think about stuff you did in a moment of crisis, you suddenly have big regrets and feel… lonely." He says running a hand through his disheveled hair no longer willing to look her in the eye.

"Caroline, listen to me please. No matter what I do or what I say please keep your word about just being her to protect me. To keep me alive long enough to hate me because I'm so terribly sorry you have to know me." She goes to speak but he silences her with his hand on her lips ignoring the sensation tingling throughout his body and blaming it on his medication high.

"Imagine the worst things you think about yourself. Now, how would you feel if the one person that you trusted the most in the world not only thinks them too, but actually uses them as reasons not to be with you." He says keeping his voice light in order to not betray his emotion but looking in her eyes he sees what he fails to conceal, "My father that is, my sister's father taught me that no matter what I did I was never going to be good enough. After a time of hearing you're not you start to believe it."

He puts his tea to the side before continuing, "…I'm someone who's mostly dead inside but still has a little hope for something extraordinary. Which is the worst breed of human because it means I know everything is a lie- Secretly I hope for the day when it might not be. So even if you have already let me go I must tell you that I can do no more for you than what I have done."

Caroline digests his rejection in the extreme swallowing the pain that has lodged itself in her throat she bends down picking up the cup and saucer to keep him from seeing her tears now desperately wanting to come out. "Then I will keep up my promise but not because you ask me to but because I like you. Even though you're family is weird and you talk like the bleakest person I've ever known. I like you." She says standing she squeezes his hand in her own before standing and placing both their cups on the tray. She tries to hold herself together as she turns to head to the kitchen she hears him sigh though she's not sure if it's in relief or dismay.

It's in dismay. He shakes his head readjusting on the bed he switches off the lamp on his right listening to her move around his small kitchen. "I know, I'm not your type – you're not my type either. But, I still like you. I always want to see you. I feel miserable now… but I want to be faithful to my feelings." He whispers to the dark as silence overtakes the apartment until dawn.

The next morning Klaus awakens to happy chit chat between his sister and Caroline coming from the kitchen. He can picture how the scene is set up by listening to them, Caroline is by the table and Bekah is in the kitchen he smiles thankful they're getting along. "Every man I meet wants to protect me. I can't figure out what. From sabotage?" Caroline says lounging in her chair watching Rebekah set the place on fire with her cooking.

He hears his sister laugh, "Oh Caroline, I'm sure my brother only wants to protect you from yourself." She says placing a tray on the table. "Here go talk to him, I have to find his doctor. They probably think he's dead or something." Caroline begrudgingly takes the tray over to his room knocking while balancing the tray on one hand, "Enter." he says his voice still weak even though he refuses to let it show.

"Your sister, she made you some tea. I know it's not much but it's all we have right now." She says putting her hands in her back pockets after placing the tray at his bedside. "Its fine Caroline, you can go now. I know you don't want to be in here." Klaus mutters not even facing her. She looks taken aback for a moment at his words before she nods stalking out. The truth is it stung to have him reject her like that more than she wanted to admit.

She turned back leaning on the frame of the door, "I know you're sorry because you feel it otherwise you wouldn't say it. But what I don't get is why you put yourself in the position to have to apologize. You should've stayed Nik. You should've waited." She says her voice cracking because Caroline knows she's being unreasonable but she can't help how she feels.

Klaus knows he should let those words slide but he growls at her insolence stating, "You think I don't know that? You think I didn't know that then. I would have gladly stayed and died for you if that was what you really wanted but we both know you prefer it this way. To hate me but have me live." He says his voice low full of pain. He hears her sob but he doesn't dare face her, he just stares out the window until he hears her leave.

Mikael eyes the man in front of him, "You've gone through extensive torture for a man who abandoned you to run and hide." He spits on O'Connor laughing manically. "You've gone through a lot of trouble to try and keep your family under your thumb." O'Connor mumbles as the pain becomes more excruciating. "Electroshock is said to clear the mind you know." Mikael says turning up the voltage just a bit before starting the machine up again ignoring the man's comments about his family.

"You don't say," "O'Connor breaths out barely fazed by the higher intensity scorching through him. he holds on for a few more seconds staring into Mikael's eyes waiting for one of them to break. Mikael blinks causing him to smile a bit. "Leave him to die," Mikael yells annoyed about not getting anywhere with this man. Three guards immediately take him off the restraints dragging him into a car. "What happens now?" Esther asks fearfully as her husband grips her jaw in his hands. "You know I'm going to kill him one way or another. Why ask?"

O'Connor is left in a deep whole meant to be left behind for no one to find him. He lets himself sleep finally finding some peace even when he knows he might not wake up. Hours maybe days pass as he rests he wakes to the sound of water sputtering down to where he is, he yells for help. Hearing someone's footsteps he tries to yell louder his voice small and raspy but trying nonetheless.

At last he is heard, he feels something fall in his lap, it isn't water however and he reaches for it. It's a cell phone, immediately he dials Caroline. Every second is an eternity until he hears her vice trickling down the hole along with others coming to aide him. A rope finds its way down already for him to loop himself through which his body is grateful for as he strings himself up for them to pull him out.


	8. Chapter 8

The next few days were awful, Klaus watched as she tended to Ric and basically ignored him unless absolutely necessary. He asked for it but it still hurt how easily she could flip the switch, it made it harder for him to concentrate. Maybe that was her plan all along to make him feel bad and give in, tell her loved her and doesn't want to live without her which was still an option.

Klaus took another swig of bourbon ignoring the penetrating stare from both Caroline and Ric. He was a consultant not actually on the damn case he could do whatever he wanted. "It's not good for your recovery to do that." Ric declares taking the bottle from his hands. "Who says I want to recover?" Klaus asks him and the words are out, he can't take them back.

Caroline holds back the tears the words wanting to shoot out of her mouth ignoring the sensation to hit him over the head with that bottle. "Ric, come on we have work to do." The blonde spreads out the map they've been working on as they track Mikael. It's marked up in their favorite shade red in all the spots he's been spotted. "I'll just go get another bottle then," Klaus says standing from his chair by the table.

This time he falls to the ground though mostly it's because Ric's fist connected with his jaw. He hears Caroline gasp somewhere in front of him but he doesn't get a chance to spot when said fist comes rearing again. He blocks it watching as it slides passed him hitting the floor. Flipping them Klaus returns the favor swinging repeatedly until he feels Caroline's arms wrap around his shoulders locking him in place he stops.

His vision is blurry and he realizes he's been crying he sobs loudly feeling a wave of emotions he's been holding back for so long flow though him. "It's okay." He hears her whisper by his ear. He looks down Ric is out for the moment giving the two a much needed breather with one another. "Caroline let go, I'm done." He says forcefully even when his fragile body betrays the power his voice commands.

She moves off of him slowly like he might try again, "You called him Mikael." Caroline says this and Klaus doesn't want to believe her and yet he knows he saw his father's face flash before him. Mikael spurred him on to do evil, to cause pain. He removes himself from his position on top of Ric adjusting his shirt as he does so. "Klaus take off your shirt." Caroline says assertively and so quickly he's not sure he's heard her right. "Take it off Klaus," she says once more pain in her voice.

"There's nothing wrong love, just a little blood. Not even mine." Klaus says gritting his teeth when pain sears through his abdomen the adrenaline wearing off quickly. He slumps though Caroline catches him bringing him over to the couch laying him down feet propped up. "Now I'm going to have to rip it off of you." Caroline says not noticing how wrong it sounded in his own head, pain or no he's still a man.

It's been hard these late few days for Caroline pretending not to care when Klaus is clearly in pain. Every time his breath hitches as he makes a wrong move or disappears for long amounts of time. She follows him, hears his harsh breathing and his pep talks about how he's doing the right thing. She pretends she can't feel his eyes on her at night until the darkness comes pulling her into a dream where they are happy. She knows it's for the best but it sucks to like someone should be a good thing but she has to do what he asks at least this once.

She sits herself on the couch with him though not touching and rips open his shirt she tries to ignore the jolt of heat surging through her as she inspects him more thoroughly than planned or needed. Her eyes taking their fill of him she remembers the first and last time she saw his chest in that hotel days before this all happened. "You popped a stich, stay put I'll get the kit." she goes to get up from her spot and his hand latches itself around her wrist, "It's just a stich sweetheart I'll be fine." His words caressing the pulse point on her wrist he kisses her there.

She feels the heat rise again as her own breath hitches favorably quickly she pulls her arm away, "Klaus just stay put. I'll be right back. If you move you die." He then freezes not even blinking. She watches him in bewilderment, "What are you doing Nik?" she asks. He smiles placing his hands together in a time out gesture. "You said to hold still or I die." The mischievous smirk making its appearance and she realizes she's missed it. She hits him upside the head, "Shut up and keep still." Caroline says smiling as she pulls on the back of his hair as she leaves the room.

She shuts the door from the bathroom letting out a breath in relief her hands on the countertop she stares at herself in the mirror. "What are you doing out there?" she asks herself splashing water on her face before quickly drying it with a towel. She looks at her reflection again realizing, "Oh god, O'Connor!" she grabs the first aid kit rushing out the door into the living room.

Ric had no idea what's going on between these two and he was planning to find out he thinks as he props himself up after pretending to black out. He heard their little interaction and believe him Caroline and Klaus were going to have a talking to. "You alright there friend?" he asks Klaus as he stands dusting off his pants and inspecting himself by the mirror. He hears Klaus grunt in response.

"Yeah well don't worry I forgive you." O'Connor says inspecting the cut on his jaw, "She did to. I can tell. Maybe that's why she's really pissed." The bathroom door swings open he watches Caroline come back into the room through the mirror. "Caroline, come look at this. Klaus just gave me another swoon worthy scar. What'd you think about it?" he says chuckling as he turns facing Klaus. He was taunting him on purpose just to see. Klaus gave him the darkest glare making him realize how much more he feared Klaus over Mikael especially as Caroline came over to inspect him.

"Nothing I'm sure you didn't deserve for some unknown reason." Caroline says gruffly wiping the blood off with a wet wipe and then walking around the couch taking her previous spot next to Klaus. Ric says, "What did that mean?" looking back into the mirror to shape his brown hair. "This is ridiculous the man attacks me and he gets the special treatment." He's pushing it but enjoying the ride as they both glare at him her gaze leaving his to tend to Klaus.

"Rebekah love, where have you been these last few days?" Mikael asks as his daughter walks through the front doors of her family home. Her smile drops at his voice, his question filled with something dark and sinister. She runs over to him embracing him, "Father I was at a friend's. I went to visit Niklaus but got bored rather quickly. Sick people and all." she kisses his cheek and steps back. "Yes, well I told you about hanging around that boy. Only trouble follows him." Mikael says keeping his tone light.

"Yes father, well I have to go unpack," Rebekah says taking her bag from the valet at the door, "Thank you Henderson! Love you father!" she yelled from the stairs. Quickly reaching her room she opened her bag inspection the mini cameras, recorders, and tracers her brother taught her how to use. Her mission was to set them up around the house and in the cars but first she had to find the best spy outfit to do the work in.


	9. Chapter 9

Another week of awkward talk and Ric is about to lose it, they know where Mikael is and how to get him. Klaus' hot sister has given them more than enough office feed to incriminate Mikael and yet here they sit for some reason. If he didn't know any better he would think it was because the two didn't want to leave one another. If Caroline goes home and he stays here it's over. It's sick really a bad man is off getting away with doing bad things just because these two can't work it out.

O'Connor has been done with the whole thing checking in with his bosses he decides it's time to move in on Mikaelson. He puts his phone away reaching for a left over biscuit from breakfast Caroline made as he goes over the deals with Klaus. "The fact of the matter is, we got him we just don't physically got him. You know?" Ric says underlying a double meaning about Caroline hoping Klaus catches on as he gestures to her with his head.

"Are you alright mate?" Klaus asks, "You got a sleeping tick or something?" Ric just shakes his head yelling at Caroline behind him, "I'm going to meet Rebekah you two kids play nice." He grabs his keys and Caroline says, "Stay safe!" Ric waves her off as he whispers something into Klaus' ear winking and then running off before he can comment or take a swing at him.

Klaus is at it again, she's not sure if he does it on purpose or not but he's really pissing her off. He's even more perplexing than before. It's like the treatments he's gone through have messed with him somehow and she doesn't like it one bit. But then she does. All she knows is she's more confused than ever and he is just really asking for a punch in the mouth or kiss. Whichever happens, you know.

Caroline sits down on the bench closest to the kitchen but far enough away to not arouse any attention with a book she just pulled from a stack. It turns out she's read this one which is good were he to ask her about it later she stretches her arms as she looks out the window. Yawning Caroline pretends she doesn't feel his eyes on her, because it feels like he's literally touching her when he does and she would rather shake it off than admit it. She opens the book up pretending to read as she listens for him the comfort becoming clear to her just knowing he's around.

Klaus eyes her as she reads her book, upside down mind you, as he stirs the pot preparing dinner bringing it to a slow simmer. He's lost all thought process as she lifts her legs up onto the wooden bench her skirt flying upward to reveal that soft skin from all that time ago. His grip on the spoon tightens as she runs a hand down her leg smoothing out the skirt and then comes back up again. The little crinkle in the middle of her eyebrows appearing and he knows she's frustrated about something. A whisper somewhere inside says it's over him making him smile before he throws the thought away.

"Caroline could you come try this," he asks before he can even think about it mentally cursing himself for saying it loud enough for her to hear no less. "Why, I'm busy. Ask Ric." she whines as she slumps her shoulders and tossing her head back to look at him from the bench she's on. "He went out to meet Rebekah we both know that. Besides love, it was your idea to make this." Klaus tells her turning to meet her eyes. "Oh come on Klaus. Ugh fine!" she goes over to him dropping her book on the floor without another thought.

Walking into the kitchen Caroline carefully side steps his tester spoon opting to grab her own from the drawer instead. She leans forward her shirt giving him a nice view of her back as she tries the soup he's made and she hums in contentment before she can stop herself. "It's good, good job she says pushing her spoon into his chest feeling the spark hit her as she hits him. She pulls away her hand the spoon falling away it clanks on the tile floor. "Is that our thing?" Klaus asks a slow smile forming at her expression.

She scoffs "We don't have a thing, and if we did it wouldn't be me dropping things when you call my name." she says walking past him. Klaus is nowhere near done though, he feels the fire starting to burn inside of him again and he knows she is feeling it too. He's backed her into a corner a place she wants to forget about. A place he's been advocating her to be in away from him but right now he doesn't care. He grabs by the waist pulling her back into the kitchen, "We're not done here." he says.

"But we are Klaus. Been done." Caroline says determination in her voice and sadness in her eyes he turns her around letting go. If she wants to go fine but if she stays he's got a lot to say. "Are you happy?" he asks her a broken voice finding its way to her ears she freezes hands at her sides. She feels her nails digging into her skin as she huts her eyes fresh tears forming, "Don't ask me that Nik." She turns to go but the words fall out of her mouth, "I wanted you to fight for me. That was all I ever wanted. I didn't realize that if made you wait too long you would leave."

She stays put because she wants to know what is going on here, a foreign but familiar feeling bubbling in her chest taking over. "Do you know how it feels Klaus? Do you know how long it's been since I felt anything other than empty?" she asks her lips quivering with emotion. He watches her and she sees it in his eyes what he might say, what he doesn't want to mention, she knows but she doesn't know how. Klaus says, "Probably as long as me, but I haven't counted the days. I just remember you and me."

That makes her heart break. Her eyes start to water and he feels awful for starting this even when he knows it's the right thing to do. He decides to let her speak refusing to back down, his stance is strong his eyes shooting through her even as his heart weakens. The sight of her broken over him is the worst he never meant for that to happen and he wants to take it all back, keep it for himself so she can be happy again.

"Yeah well I counted. Every. Single. One." She shouts pointing an accusatory finger at him and she feels good. "Mostly though I remember the last one, vividly. The man that protected me -Kept me alive. That part of you that appear just for me Klaus. The man I met one day staring at me the way you do who probably still thinks I don't notice." She says never relenting she steps closer bit by bit. "The man with the quizzical look on his face as he sits at his desk leafing through the pages of a case like it's a crossword puzzle paying attention to the tiniest of details." A shiver runs up his spine at the thought of her longing for him the way he longed for her.

Caroline stops in front of him wiping a tear away trying to get her head straight. "The one that sings 'Hey Jude' because he knows my mom would sing that to me to put me to sleep at night when I was scared. Even though I only mentioned it in passing. That man isn't here anymore." Her finger points to his chest, right where his heart is. "You're right Caroline, he isn't here anymore," Klaus says whispering as he takes her hand in his and places it against her own heart.

"Because he's in here now and he doesn't want to come back." A tear escapes from him and he lets it his vision blurring but he doesn't blink them away. "I'm sorry Caroline. I left but I only ever lied to you about one thing." Klaus removes his hand from hers walking back to the stove he turns it off. "And it wasn't about my feels for you, those I made clear everyday even when they were rebuffed. I shouldn't have when I knew I was probably going to die. But in our line of work we really could die at any moment. It was cowardly."

"Guys like you are always sorry but it's always too late," she says crossing her arms refusing to cave into her heart right now. He scowls at her for a moment pointing a finger at himself disbelievingly, "Guys like me? What does that mean Caroline?" Klaus asks trying not to lose his temper. "Because I can't understand how a woman like you gets to be a woman like you." Caroline doesn't know whether or not she should be offended or not, "And what does that mean Klaus?" she demands of him.

"What it means Caroline is that what you want I am not inclined to give you." Klaus shouts as if it's the most obvious thing in the world. He watches her taking a step forward while placing the kitchen towel on his shoulder a smirk coming to life at her adorably cute angry face. Her nose all scrunched up in disgust, cheeks pink from frustration and her chest heaving with impatience is wonderful to watch. "And what is that Klaus?" she asks expecting him to be dumbfounded with no answer.

"Two weeks in Paris with a good man." He responds watching as she stops coming towards him as if upset by his answer. "And why not she says softly. "I'm not a good man." he says simply. "I never wanted a good man." Caroline tells him as she walks closer removing the towel from his shoulder and replacing it with her hands on each side. "I'll have that kiss now." She smiles shyly making his heart skip as he wraps his hands around her waist.

"What kiss?" he asks knowingly. She tilts her head to the left the slight movement of their bodies making him dizzy. "The one you've been dying to give me." she says her breath fanning his face as she wraps her arms around his neck. "Oh, that kiss." he says pretending to think as a smiles creeps into his face and she pushes her lips on his mostly to shut him up before the moments gone. That kiss lights them up so much they seem to be getting on like a house on fire in the dead of night.

This is just what he needed he thought as he held on tighter her moans making it harder to think about anything else coherent. They didn't hear the door open, they didn't hear Ric and Rebekah come in laughing over a bottle of wine for dinner or when they greeted them at the door. All they heard was when Ric set the wine down on the counter patting Klaus on the shoulder and said, "I told you. You should just make out for a few minutes just figure things out."

Klaus groaned as he felt Caroline giggle into his chest hiding her embarrassed face from Rebekah's shocked face. Klaus turned to look at his sister, "Rebekah love, shut your mouth you might catch a fly." Ric walks over to the pot on the stove, "At least you've finished making dinner. Come on Bekah. Let's get some plates on the table. I'll tell you about that scar on my back." Rebekah laughs and Klaus grows concerned. "Don't worry, he can't be worse than any of the guys she's hanging around at your dad's house." Caroline says and she feels him squeeze her tighter and kiss the top of her head. "You're right Love."


	10. Chapter 10

The mission was supposed to be easy, or so they thought on route to capture Mikael. Rebekah insisted on tagging along and with much persistence from Ric and his sister Klaus and Caroline caved. More Caroline than himself but finding himself outnumbered by two of his favorite people was not something he enjoyed. They scale the side of the building stopping at the roof top to wait for the dark to settle in some more as they regroup.

Soon the night is covered in stars the four of them huddling in pairs for warmth Caroline thinks it might have been more romantic under different circumstances. Ric checks his watch and he sees it is almost time for the guard switch to take place. He nudges Klaus and points to his own watch. Klaus nods in understanding as they begin to make their way toward the ventilation shafts removing certain sections so that they all may enter.

Once they hit the main floor the group is on their toes in the dark passage ways when they hear movement. Ric is knocked out and Rebekah immediately runs in the direction of Nik and Caroline hoping to get to them before Ric's attacker gets her. She reaches the end of the hall spotting Caroline her eyes wide with fear as the blonde comes running towards her. She feels her ponytail being pulled and she cries out in pain absolutely pissed he dared touch her hair.

She elbows him in the ribs turning to face her attacker she hears a gun cock in front of her. Rebekah's brother finally making an appearance behind her attacker holding a gun to his head. "Stefan?" Rebekah cries disbelievingly as his hold on her loosens. "Come on becks, you always liked it a little rough." Stefan states pulling her head once again to face him directly. It's the last thing he does because Klaus shoots him. Klaus takes his sister by the hand along with Caroline trailing behind they re-track finding Ric still unconscious.

"Am I to be forever getting you out of these situations? Klaus asks him as he slaps the man on the face waking him instantly. Ric is about to comment when they look up searching for the spot where they hear clapping coming from. "Well done, Niklaus." Mikael greets them bowing to the ladies. "Ah yes my beautiful daughter. What a waste." he turns away from them facing the guards surrounding them, "Waste?" Caroline hears her ask him. "Kill them all." Mikael says placing his right hand in his pocket and walking towards the door to a waiting Esther in the car.

"Time to get physical," Caroline says standing from her crouching position by Klaus and Ric they soon fall in line behind her. No one notices when she picks up a steel pipe of the floor swinging and making direct contact with firstly the gun in the soldier's hands and then swinging back connecting with his jaw. "Run!" she yells taking off.

They speed down the halls of the eerily cryptic building the footsteps of soldiers spurring them forward as they jump past Stefan's bleeding body. "We have to go up," Ric says grabbing Bekah's hand and pulling her along making her match his speed. Klaus nods taking Caroline's hand in his as they run up the stairs making it floor by floor. "I didn't want to have to use this," yells Klaus as he drops a very special present down the centers of the rounding staircase.

They hear a boom and smoke rises t where they are as they reach their exit pulling the girls up first and then themselves. Klaus feels a hand on his arm and flips the guard over his shoulder removing his mask, "Trevor." He groans on the ground as Klaus makes his way back up following after Ric still unsure of what was happening. "Rebekah where is Katerina?" Klaus demands to know before he is even out of the air shaft.

"Nik, she died. Mikael killed her I don't know how but she is dead." She tells him knowing this cannot end well when she hears him punch the brick wall. "Let's go," he says grabbing his bag he tells O'Connor, "This is what you wanted right?" leaving a god-smacked group behind him as he shimmies down the rope heading towards their vehicle.

"What the hell Bekah?" Caroline yells once they are safely walking back to the car hoping Klaus is at least still there. "Katherine was the first person put under the protection of Niklaus. He's upset because he failed her. Why he even thought to ask for her now is beyond me." the girl says. Ric narrow his eyes as he thinks back to the vent, "He knew the guard that snuck up on us after you girls got out, called him Trevor."

"Trevor was her brother, if he's here then he's the reason she's dead not Niklaus. Let's go." Rebekah says breaking into a run quickly making it to the car. Ric and Caroline take the back seat both in conversation and physically because Klaus and his sister start arguing so fast they can't understand them. Caroline puts her fingers to her mouth letting out a loud whistle calming them, "Stow your crap." They both stop immediately looking out their own respective windows, "Now explain," she asks her tone gentle.

They start at the same time once more huffing at each other crossing their arms. "I'm so happy I'm an only child," Ric says beside Caroline and she silently agrees. "Klaus first." Caroline demands and Klaus turns on the car turning onto the dimly lighted street as he begins his story. "I met her when I was first starting out, she was alone. Her brother was getting into some shady things left her in our house. Eventually we got close." Klaus says clearing his throat. Ric pumps his fist in the air twice, "Nice," he mutters receiving a swat from Caroline.

"I talked her into my side, together we built up a case around my fathers under dwellings," Klaus explained "Trevor would tell his sister and she would tell me and so on and so on." Caroline made a whiny sound in the back and Klaus looked up into the rear-view mirror to see what that was about. "I'm fine I just must have cut myself on something," she says wrapping the palm of her hand with her scarf. Klaus pulls over, "Ric switch with me." he says turning off the car and getting out. Ric does as Klaus commands though not happily until Rebekah reaches over taking his hand in hers.

"I'm fine Nik," she tells him quickly giving up on fighting him with that look in his eyes. "Caroline will you just let me take care of you?" he tells her happy when she nods. He reaches under the seat pulling out the first aid kit fidgeting with the antiseptic his fingers fumbling. "Klaus relax, I'm fine. It's just a small cut." She rushes to console him her good hand holding on to his. "I can't," Klaus cries losing control her eyes widen he scared her.

"Why?" Caroline asks him. "Because I can't lose you. This could have been worse Caroline!" he says holding out her hand. "I love you and I can't lose you!" he lets slip looking up at Caroline smiling widely pain long forgotten. Rebekah gasps watching the scene play out hitting Ric on the arm he whines and she covers his mouth with her hand refusing to ruin her brother's moment. "You love me?!" Caroline squeals jumping across the seat to kiss him.

AN: Thank you AgathaN, your reviews make my day! happy reading all!


	11. Chapter 11

Needless to say Niklaus did not live down the whole 'I love you' incident, if anything it made matters worse. Now that he had admitted it he had to admit that she was now more than ever a threat to Mikael which worried him as much as it worried him for his sister. "Caroline could you get in here please?"

"What do you need Nik?" he hears Caroline call from the other room a drifting thought says, "_For you to love me."_ she walks in an obviously fake smile plastered on her face. "Just wanted to run over the plan with you once more before we head in tonight." Klaus says standing from the desk to move over to the map area. He feels her behind him "Are you ever going to talk to me about anything other than the plan?" she asks him coming to stand beside him. She places her hand on his shoulder but he ignores it, "I don't know what you mean." Klaus plays coy.

"Yes you do, I didn't say it back and now you're a wounded sparrow or whatever the expression is." Caroline tells him matter-of-factly he hands on her hips in a confrontational stance. He isn't in the mood to argue so he walks around her towards the door, "I don't know what you mean." She follows him to his room watching him drink his pain medication in silence. "Nik please talk to me" she asks him as he walks past her towards the kitchen. "I don't want to talk about it Caroline." Klaus tells her as he grabs a banana from the fruit stand.

He gets up to leave the kitchen, plan be damned they've run through it too many times. He turns facing her so maybe she'll stop chasing him like a lost puppy, "FYI Love if a man says 'I love you', you say it back. You don't say 'I know.' This isn't bloody star wars." Then he slams the patio door a bit dramatic but she can deal.

"He refuses to speak to me Becks, I don't know what to do." She says venting to the only other person she can talk to about it. "So say it back." Rebekah tells her like it is that simple and maybe it is but not in her head. "I can't do it now, he'll think it's a pity 'I love you.'" she explains exasperatedly clutching Rebekah's shoulders to get her point across. "Well? Is it?" Rebekah asks raising her eyebrow and shrugging off Caroline's very cold hands from her body.

"No! Oh I don't know everything's everywhere and if I'm going to tell anyone how I feel first it's going to be him." Caroline says pointing outside to where her brother is seated. She points grabs Caroline's shoulders positioning her towards the patio doors, "Then tell him." his sister tells her. Caroline swirls facing her, "No help as usual." Rebekah laughs grabbing her bag, "Anytime," the blonde says leaving.

"If you ask me, Klaus should never have said it. Now he's all mopey. Look what you did, you broke the government toughest toy." Ric says in-between bites of his apple. Caroline slaps his shoulder walking past him, "Oh shut up Ric, he's not broken." she says more to herself than Ric. Caroline follows Klaus out onto the patio standing in front of him but at a distance away. "Nik, look at me." she asks him.

"No," he says not bothering to look up from his paper. Caroline easily frustrated these days says, "What are you sketching anyway?" she pulls the pad from his lap flipping through all the pages. Her. "Oh," she says he watches her expression and god help him he loves her more. "Please talk to me." her voice low it stings somewhere inside his dark little heart. "There's nothing to talk about Caroline," he takes his pad back from her.

"We need to talk about this I know its bad timing and all but we have to." she says plopping down on the chair next to him. He shifts on his chair facing her a hand to his chest, "So my feelings are bad timing then?" He stands pacing back and forth in front of her, "So sorry for the inconvenience. You know what love? I take my I love you back," he says walking back into the house ignoring Ric whom seems to have been eavesdropping with a phone to his ear, Rebekah no doubt.

He hears her light feet padding being him once again so he turns to face her, "you can't take it back you already said it." She tells him. "Woman you're driving me mad, I can take it back if I want to its mine." He tells her his hands grasping at an imaginary I love and placing it in his pocket. "No you can't! It's out there. Now give it back!" she shouts at him her hands reaching for his pocket where he has placed the 'I love you'. "Give it back!" she yells at him pulling n his pants to get him to stop shuffling about.

He laughs. She's trying to get to something in his pocket that doesn't exist, "No it's mine and you can't have it." He manages to escape her grasp jumping over the couch he races towards his room to hide he shouts, "you had your chance!" he slams into one of the hall walls her cute face at the for-front of his mind. "You get back here Mikaelson!" she yells after him chasing him down the hall, "Give it back!" she shouts catching up to him, right as he reaches his room. "Never!" he shouts trying to shut the door, "Persistent much?" and that moment is all she needs to dive into the room. "Ha!" she cries falling to the floor.

AN: Happy Reading! Almost over! :))


	12. Chapter 12

Next chapter

"A mile away, I should have seen that one a mile away." Klaus mutters shutting the door behind him, "Caroline," he says pinching the bridge of his nose.

"It's not that I don't love you Nik I just, I know that if I'm freaking out about you being more than attached," he hears her muffle from the ground. She feels him walk towards her his steps vibrating on the floor of the safe house.

He gets down beside her as she continues, "It's dangerous for us both now more than ever. I see it in your eyes when you look at me with that fake smile I hate." She waves her hands around bringing them to her face she places her head on them looking at him.

"You know I'm right. Your dad might use me to get to you he already did. I'm here, we both know he was counting on that." Caroline exclaims from her spot on the floor feeling his hands flip her over onto her back.

"So you love me?" Klaus asks not quite believing she just admitted it in so many words. His heart racing and he wants to dance or sing or yell on a rooftop.

"That was all you got from that?" Caroline asks dropping her head back onto the floor his hand catching her head before hitting the floor. She smiles.

Then he's hovering over her. "Answer the question Caroline," he prods placing his knees on either side of her crawling upwards to meet her face. "Please."

Her right hand reaches up caressing the side of his face as she tilts her head smiling, "Yes, I love you." Caroline brings his face down to hers kissing him happy to have some sort of physical contact after the last few days.

"Hey guys, I can't hear what you're doing in there and Bekah just got taken into custody and wants to know if you've made up. Can I come in?" Ric asks from the other side of the door phone pressed to his chest as he talks to Klaus and Caroline.

The door swings open revealing Klaus an evil grin forming, "Hand me the phone Ric," Klaus tells him Ric shakes his head no.

"I don't wanna," Ric replies placing the phone to his ear, "Beks I want an open casket and fireworks, gotta go!" then he hangs up as Klaus snatches the phone from his hand.

"I'm not going to kill you," his eyes shining with mirth when they both hear Caroline from the room still on the ground, "He really isn't."

Later that night Mikael sat in his office surrounded by guards, he knew his time was drawing to a close his partners distancing themselves from him as soon as the news broke that morning. His only legitimate daughter Rebekah exposing his secrets to the public and entering protective custody he never thought he would see the day.

It was only a matter of time, he willed his wife by his side so that she may die with him. If _her_ son was to kill him she would watch and live with that until her last breath, this was all her fault. He was relatively calm, he made sure of it knowing it made her even more nervous than when he yelled or hit her. he relished in this fact using it as often as he could against her.

Alarms wailing as the computer monitors go off snow covering the screens Mikael tosses his glass at one screen clutching his fists. "The alarms been triggered. A distraction I'm sure, send in team one, the rest of you stay close." Group A left marching after one another voices are heard on the talkies of the soldiers, his own personal storm troopers.

Esther gets up from her chair her the bottom of her dress dragging on the floor as she walks around the leather chair Mikael sat her in. The drugs wearing off faster in the last few years she learned how to fake it pretty early in the marriage that helped him drug her less often. It had been hours since he gave her sedation pills, every now and again her children would switch them out replacing them with vitamins to give her a break until Mikael would find out and punish her.

She walked past the cart they had shared their meal on grabbing at one of the steak forks she fell over onto the floor throwing it up into her dress sleeve. "Pick her up," she heard her husband order one of the guards. She was hoisted up and placed in her chair once again. "Don't move," Mikael told her as he stood up.

"Sir I hear them, they're using one of our radio lines to keep in contact switching stations every five to six minutes." The man furthest from them informs them from his spot by the security station.

"Can you track them this way?" Mikael asks finally getting somewhere his blood pumping with elation at the news.

"No, only what they say can be heard, there is no direct pattern so there is no way of knowing where they will be or what station they will use again." The man tells him getting back to work.

"Alright Caroline you know the rules, follow the script and I'll catch you on the other side kid," Ric tells her his big brother voice on as he hugs her.

"I'll see you on the other side, take care of him and yourself. I don't plan on seeing any fireworks any time soon understood?" she tells him, he nods to her as she pats his back.

"You mean you don't see fireworks when I kiss you?" Klaus asks from behind finally done rigging up his big surprise.

She turns to face him, "no. more like rocket launchers. I think it's appropriate considering you're a heat seeker." She says wrapping her arms around his neck.

He kisses her chastely, "I'll see you soon love." A promise in his words as they leave Caroline there in the dark corner with their voices recordings playing into a walkie-talkie.

AN: Two more long chapters and we're done! Thank you for sticking with my story. Happy Reading! :))


	13. Chapter 13

Damon appears from behind Klaus taking him by surprise and stabbing his old friend in the back Klaus grunts in response to the pain he inflicted. He pulls the knife from his back flipping Damon over and onto the ground stabbing him in the stomach with it. "Brother for brother," he tells Damon as Ric handcuffs him to the railing so he doesn't come after them.

Ric applies pressure to Klaus' back as they hurry up another flight of stairs boots resounding in their ears as soldiers charge at them in small packs all around. No one's shot them yet which begs the question, "_What's going on?_" Klaus thinks. He doesn't have time to think about it anymore when a fire warning goes off to the left of his head he shouts, "Missed!" chasing after Ric.

Rebekah paces her room her guard looking over at her every so often actually so much that she wishes she had her brother here with her, even Kol would be just fine if she knew where he was. The door opens behind her and she feels stupid for leaving her back unprotected, swiftly she turns pulling out the knife her brother gave her for protection and keeping it at her side.

"Kol!" she cries jumping over her bed and into her brother's arms. "Oh my god I thought you dead" Rebekah kisses his cheek overjoyed at the turn of events.

"I was," Kol replies smirking at his younger sister, "Mikael killed me." he places her back down nodding for the guard to leave them alone.

"So how are you here," she asks sitting on her bed still clutching his hand not quite believing he's there.

"I'm here for you sister, Klaus will be here soon." he tells her giving her hand a gentle squeezing then letting his back fall onto the bed he looks up at the ceiling hearing his little sisters intake of breath.

Rebekah squeals throwing her own head back and falling next to him as they looked up, "The bastard knew you were alive and didn't tell me," their hands entwined as they continue in silence looking up.

"He wasn't allowed too, I wouldn't have let him" Kol said taking some of the heat that would surely hit Klaus later.

Caroline was getting impatient as just sitting there in the back up security room watching as her, well Klaus was being attacked. It was like a bad movie she wasn't allowed to talk through, he was walking around blind, and it didn't help that he was getting in deeper and deeper every step he took away from her. "Damn it Klaus to your left," she commands as she sees guards about to rush him and Ric she chances it to warn him. He nods into a camera winking at her.

She did her best suppressing alarm tolls as did he but there were so many variables under the blanket of the night sky that her nerves were shot already. Her heart was in her throat as she thought back to how he held her last night, unwilling to sleep with her even if it was in fact their last night together. He was so going to pay for that.

Her screens turned to snow for a total of five seconds then came on all the lights including the room she was currently hiding in. Guards swarmed all the cameras as they came back on, "What the hell?" slipped out of her mouth before she could stop it.

"Indeed, Miss Forbes." Mikael said coming out from behind the shadows and grabbing her arm, "My son always did have peculiar taste." He says looking her over

She stomps on his foot then flips him on his back her boot at his throat. "Yeah well sorry I couldn't hit the salon this morning. I felt it was better to go after I kicked your ass." He moved to drop her just as she pulled out her gun shooting a warning bullet to the right side of his head hitting the concrete floor. "Move again." She yells at him daringly he smiles and then the dark flood in as a loud clank hits her head and she falls to the ground along with her gun.

Esther, How wonderful it is that you could join us," Mikael says malice in his voice at having been rescued by his wife. She curtseys to him mocking him as he continues to lie on the floor. He moves to get up but she shakes her head.

"I wouldn't Mikael." Esther tells him her voice strong no longer pretending to be kind or drugged for that matter. She picks up Caroline's gun, "If anyone is going to kill you today it's me. For Henrick. For fin's death, for Elijah god knows where he is for my Kol. My daughter you tried to have killed. But most of all for Niklaus." Esther says inching closer to him as he starts to back away towards against the wall.

Ric helped Klaus up the stairs barely making it before all the lights were switched on and guards came flooding all around the ground floor. There was no way two men were going to be able to take out all of these guards single handedly. It wasn't a b action film. But with the supplies they had, like oh tear gas and knock out liquid it might be possible.

After having dispersed all of their little toys among their new friends Klaus and Ric ran back towards Mikael's office only to find it empty save for the dead guards with their throats slashed open. They followed the blood trail down the hall towards where they had left Caroline fearing the worst when they realized they had dropped their walkie a while back. There was no way to contact her but go inside to find out whether she was dead or alive.

Caroline felt oozy to say the least her vision was only slightly blurred but her senses were quickly recovering. She saw a woman and a man at odd with one another from where she lay in front of the door. It was clear they knew each other and she while she felt like she had been hit by a bus she knew she had to get up and try to tell Klaus to stay away from here. "_Too late_," the thought hit as she saw Mikael pull out a gun from his back pointing it straight towards the one the woman was holding. It was a stand off.

The shot resounded in the air before Klaus or Ric could even reach to get the door open both of them fearing the worst for Caroline as they yanked the door open running in. they were quickly shoved aside as yet another bullet went off from Mikael's gun pointed up his last reflex as far as Caroline could tell from on top of Klaus and Ric.

"Mother," Klaus called recognizing the woman on the floor he crawled over to her ignoring the pain in his shoulder as he went to her. He hadn't seen her in close to ten years since Mikael's had sent him away but seeing her now was filled with grief and joy.

She was crying as his face hovered over her the pain shooting through her body being the first thing she felt in years. "Niklaus," she breathed out happiness in her voice as her hands shook reaching out to cup his face.

"I'm here mother," Klaus said sniffling as he pulled her up into his arms cradling her, willing her not to die when he just got her back. He felt Caroline behind him rubbing circles in his back as Ric applied pressure to her wound. He knew she had no chance of surviving this so he took Ric's hands off of her and wiped away her tears.

"My son, he's finally home." She whispers her hand racking over his face and he takes it in his own pressing a kiss to it. "I'm sorry about your head dear," she tells the girl behind him but she just shakes her head crying as well. "You love him?" the girl nods her head.

"Take care of him for me." Esther asks her and the girl nods she smiles gratefully looking back at her son, "Tell your sibling I love them, and remember I am always with you Niklaus." She tells him feeling her heart start to slow down. "What a way to go." She laughs slightly as the light disappears from her eyes and then she's gone.

AN: Next chapter is the last! Hope you enjoyed this story! :))


	14. Chapter 14

"Did you miss me Love," Klaus asks taking Caroline in his arms for the first time in hours needing to feel a connection of sorts after the demise of his parents. He ran his fingers through her hair as she shivered from the cold. The sirens speeding away from the taped of building just as the sun was rising making the scene look almost serene.

Caroline nodded her head as she looked up into his eyes, "With every bullet so far," she told him scratching his head in an attempt to make him crack a smile. They hear laughter behind them both turning in the direction of it they find Kol talking with Ric and Rebekah.

Klaus shouts at them, "She's kidding she's a great shot, I taught her." reassuring them of her shooting prowess. He then cups Caroline face kissing her swiftly ignoring the disgusted pleas of his siblings as she begins to kiss him back.

She pulls back asking, "How do we always end up here?" gesturing to the area around them covered in the after math of their mission. He chuckles sardonically brining her back to him kissing her lips lightly.

"It's our job," he murmurs feeling his brother's hand on his left shoulder and tugging him away from Caroline. "Kol let go," he growls against her lips.

"Can't do that brother, you've been shot and ignoring your paramedic. Caroline will ride with you," Kol adds noting the anxiety in their eyes. "Come now, a little blood and you'll be good as new." He places himself in-between the couple walking them towards the ambulance.

"Bekah and I will meet you there," Kol shouts as the paramedic shuts he door behind them he waves until they can't be seen anymore. "The bloody bastard, I'm here too and all I got was a growl." Kol says upset by his brother's lack of acknowledgement.

"Tell me about it, I've been here just as long as you and Caroline's the only one who said hi. Like we get it you're on a mission," Rebekah says agreeing with her brother.

"Come on you two, Klaus will be discharged by the time we get there if we keep standing here," Ric says wrapping an arm around Rebekah and hauling her to the car along with Kol. "Thank you," she says kissing his cheek and sitting down on the passenger side where he's opened the door for her.

**In the ambulance**

Silence as the paramedic sets Klaus up with tubes and all sorts of wires unsure of how he's still functioning. super human is a word that's tossed around. Caroline smiles having been holding his hand on the bench next to him the entire time just watching over him.

Once the paramedic is done she takes her seat in the front of the ambulance leaving them to their privacy, at that moment she presses a kiss to his lips. "You know she did it all for you," Caroline tells him still saddened that he thought he could get his mother out and travel with him.

He nods though not at all convinced, "I wish she knew how much we all," he says feeling tears forming in his eyes he held her hand tighter. "We just loved her." he finishes feeling every bit as broken as when he left Caroline.

"Hey, don't do that to yourself, She knew! She knew all of you loved her! That's why she did it, so you could be free," Caroline cries coming forward as if to drill it into him. He tugs her closer pulling her on the small bed with him.

She wraps her small arms around his waist snuggling him on her side careful not to mess with any wires, "You're safe now, you're not alone anymore either." Her lips pressed up against his neck she kisses him there, then his jaw then his lips watching as his eyes close nodding along with what she said.

He felt like she was healing him with all her kisses, "I love you and that means that everything will be all right," she whispers against his lips. His eyes flutter open revealing his shock and mirth all at once it. He'd been looking forward to those words slipping out of her mouth after this but hearing them was so different from anything he could have dreamt up. "I love you too," he whispered kissing her forehead.

**Months later**

"I don't really know what I'm doing here but I know I'm doing it well," Klaus says straightening his bow tie in the mirror as Kol steps in the room. "Elijah's on his way cursing traffic," Kol says behind him pointing to his phone.

"Good, I just want everything to be perfect or else I'll never hear the end of it from Caroline." Klaus says walking towards the door Kol held open for them to exit. "Come on old boy, it won't be all bad," Kol's words weaken as Klaus crushes his shoulder a bit walking out the door towards the stairs.

"Caroline come on we're going to be late, I'm sick and tired of this," Rebekah says plopping down on one of the living room's couches. She hears her brother's coming down the stairs and jumps up clapping her hands excitedly, "Caroline you're currently out of time," she mutters.

"Yeah I got that," Caroline says from behind the door she's been changing in as she adjusts her cream skirt trying to somehow make it longer until she gives up. She checks her make up one last time as someone knocks on the door, "Nik, I swear I'm coming. Just give me like two seconds and I'll come out. See." Caroline says dropping her mascara in her bag and swinging the door open.

"You look…" he says unable to finish his sentence because her smile grows. "I know," she says kissing his cheek and walking past him taking his hand in hers and dragging him away from the doorway. He shakes himself mentally smiling at the woman walking alongside him, "How do you do it?" he asks earning a quizzical stare from Caroline.

"What do you mean Nik," she asks swinging their arms as they exit the house the drier opening their perspective doors. She steps into the car as he helps her in grinning. He says, "Every time you're near me it's like you're carrying the rays on the sun." she blushes swatting his arm at the compliment.

"Have you lost your mind," she asks swatting his arm as she puts on her seatbelt, he leans over pecking her lips he says, "Every time I see you." Then he leans back putting on his own seatbelt winking her way she giggles at how cheesy he is.

"Where are we going anyway? I didn't know if this would work." Caroline says turning her head to face him gesturing to her outfit. She hears him chuckle, he's had something up his sleeve for some time now and she hates that she can't figure it out.

He takes her hand in his giving it a gentle squeeze, "You'll see Love," enjoying the pout on her face considering she has no idea what's in store for her. Klaus was actually really nervous, "I think you'll like it," he says kissing her hand as they dive past the Mikaelson front gate.

"Tell me! I know that there's something going on. I'm a trained spy! You can't fool me as much as you'd like too." She says taking her hand from his and crossing her arms a small smile on her lips because no matter how mad she is he's still pretty cute. Caroline knows she won't stay mad at him for long.

"I will say that we are almost there and you'll get three surprises. Other than that I won't say a word." Klaus tells her moving around feeling the box in his tuxedo jacket his nerves reaching a new level as they turn into another gate.

"That just made it worse," she said messing with her hair in the mirror her own nerves shot over what the big plan is for today. Plus her mother hadn't answered her calls in like two day making her nervous and now they were at a place she's never been before. She had a lot going on.

He pulled the car into the drive immediately recognizing Elijah's vehicle in the front now empty thankfully as he came around opening Caroline's door for her. "First surprise is here already," he says noting the confused look in her eyes as he takes her hand in his leading her up the stairs.

"Elijah isn't much of a surprise Nik," she says upset, this wasn't exactly what her built up hopes lead her to believe. He doesn't comment he just opens the door for her to enter her frown turning into a smile as she sees her mother coming towards her.

"Caroline, you look beautiful," her mother tells her as she wraps her arms around her beaming so much her cheeks hurt. "Mom, you look great! What are you doing here?" she asks stepping back to look her mother over.

"Klaus invited me," she says holding her daughters hands looking like she's about to cry, "He asked me if I wanted him to take care of you." Caroline feels her mother pull away stepping back, she turns to face him but he isn't anywhere to be found. "Where'd he go?" she asks turning back around expecting to see her mother but instead she finds Klaus on one knee in front of her.

"I wouldn't be holding this ring if it wasn't for you Caroline Forbes. I know you're the only one for me and that I'll regret it for the rest of my life if I don't ask you to be mine." Klaus says as she steps closer to him he gulps nervously trying to get through his speech. He feels his eyes starts to water even in front of the only family they have left.

"Caroline, you're the one who keeps me going when I'm on the field and off." His right hand pointing to himself and out the window and she Knows he's nervously rambling something that's rubbed off on him from her. She sniffles as she gets down on her knees across from him her hands clasped together.

"I know you'll still be that person to keep me going for years to come, so that's why I want you to be my wife, marry me? Today." he finishes a tear rolling down his cheek as she nods her head excitedly in front of him her hands coming around his neck. She kisses him hard his hand with the ring crushes by her body pressed against his.

"Yes," she responds finally her hands holding his head as she leans in kissing him again he smiles against her lips wrapping his arms around her waist pulling her closer. They pull back and he places the ring on her finger. She feels like they're the only ones in the world staring into one another's eyes.

His brothers and sister starts to clap as Caroline stands hugging her mother, Klaus is bombarded with love from his siblings which he has to admit he enjoys. Though not out loud. "Congratulations," Elijah says knowing he's going to get an earful later for bringing Caroline's mom late.

"We'll talk later," Klaus says lowly Elijah nods as he goes to hug his baby sister. "Be nice, he didn't have to do it" Rebekah tells him patting his back sweetly as he hugs her. He nods growling slightly at Kol shamelessly checking out the brides maids that have just entered.

"Mom. This is …I'm speechless," Caroline says pulling her in for another hug noticing Elena and Bonnie coming in from outside waving happily to her. She hears her mother call them over and they group hug it. "Don't worry ladies she said yes," they collectively sigh in relief.

"You haven't seen anything yet," Elena murmurs into Caroline's ear making the blonde wonder what exactly her fiancé has been up to and for how long. Then she remembers his last words, "Wait married today? How?" she lets them go walking over to Klaus who's looking pretty sheepish right now.

"That was surprise two," he says holding up to fingers his other hand in his pocket as she walks up to him pulling him closer by the collar. She smiles, "Three is the wedding," he hears her say as she pulls away from him. his arms loosely around her, "That would be an obvious surprise." He mutters taking her hand.

"What's three then?" she asks feeling him pull her out towards the back French doors he opens one swinging it all the way open and then the other. She sucks in a breath gasping at the back yard of the place they are in. "How did you plan a better wedding than me?" she asks unbelieving her sight.

Some of the guests wave to her as she looks on awkwardly waving back before swatting his chest he feigns hurt taking her hand in his and kissing her knuckles right by where her new ring is. "This is three," he replies, "Though I can't take all the credit." He shrugs pointing behind him.

"Everyone contributed," Bonnie says everyone in the room looking slightly embarrassed Caroline assumes mainly because they all conspired against her. "So much makes sense now." Caroline says running a hand against her perfectly primed hair. Her dress he gave it to her this morning asking her to be ready so much was falling together in the last few weeks.

"Let's get married then," she says looking back at him she steps in closer as their families walk around them heading to their respective stations. "Let's," Klaus replies cupping her head he chastely kisses her lips as her mother taps him on the shoulder.

"You go over there," she points to the end of the aisle he nods smiling back at them both he lets go of her hand walking away already missing her. "I can't believe this is happening right now," Caroline murmurs giddily to her mother as they begin to ascend down the aisle. "Believe it," her mother says kissing her cheek, "I knew he was the one for you the moment you called to tell me about him."

Caroline looks at her mother, "How could you?" she asks not quite believing her mother's words but the look in her eyes shuts her up. "Okay maybe I did to," she admits as she pulls away from her mother kissing her cheek and then taking her place between her mother and Klaus.

"I love you," he whispers as she stands by him the justice of the peace beginning his sermon she whispers back, "I know." she laughs slightly when he emits a growl. "Too soon?" she mouths to him making him nod his head.

The End


End file.
